In Her Eyes
by LauraKathleenB
Summary: This is a Loki Laufeyson fan fiction based on Marvels depiction of Loki. It takes place after the Dark Elves failed in their attempt to bring about the end of the universe. All of the chapter titles (save chapters 8 & 9) are titles of songs by Josh Groban. They all have to do with what happens in that chapter. If you wish to listen to them, they can be found on YouTube or Spotify.
1. False Alarms

_(All of the chapter titles, save chapters 7 &amp; 8, are titles of songs by Josh Groban. _

_If you wish to listen to them, they can be found on YouTube or Spotify.)_

We open upon a vast throne room that has high a golden ceiling and a beautifully formed throne at the end of the hall that is made out of solid gold. There are intricate carvings all over it in some ancient dialectal that is hard to comprehend for everyone except for those who know how to speak it. The hall is empty save for a few figures. One was in front of the throne, another stood beside it. The individual that was standing directly in front of the throne was an elderly man. One could tell that the throne was meant for him by his stately garments and regal stance. He held a magnificent golden scepter in his hand as he gazed down at one of the other figures who was bound in chains and was being lead down the hall by two other figures that stood on either side of him with his single blue eye.

The prisoner was none other than his unruly adopted son 'Loki'. He was dressed in his customary black and green leather clothing as he was being led down the hall by several guards. Once they reached the foot of the throne, Loki looked up at the man on the throne and his step bother, who stood at his side, with a look of distain clearly written in his bright green eyes. He then smiled his customary mischievous grin and asked, "What is all this about?"

Odin took a step forward and shouted in a fierce voice that pierced the thin morning air, "You know very well what this is about! You are the most disrespectful and dreadful person that could ever be! I wish I had just left you on that frozen rock to die!"

The smile instantly disappeared from Loki's face to be replaced with a cold blank stare. Little did everyone know that everything mischievous and malicious he had ever done was just a façade. All of his smiles and cruel jokes were just an attempt to hide that he was a broken man. He never felt like he belonged with the family that raised him, only to find out once he was a grown man that it was true.

He was the offspring of the king of the Frost Giants, sworn enemy of Asgard. After he was born, he was left in the temple to die because he was not expected to survive. When Odin discovered him there, he took him to his home in the hopes of using him to bring peace between the two races. But those plans never came to pass. Eventually, the child grew to this broken man that was standing in chains at the foot of the All Father's throne.

Odin continued to speak, "For all of your actions over the past few years, I should have you killed!"

Loki took one step forwards and replied to the king, "I welcome death. It will be a pleasant reprieve from this torment I have had to endure all my life." His voice was filled with rage and his shackled hands trembled with fury as he spoke.

"Take him back to prison and prepare him for execution." The All Father ordered. Then the guards turned him around forcefully and began to lead him back to the penitentiary.

Thor, Loki's adopted brother, stepped forward and said to Odin, "Father, must you really kill him? Perhaps there is good in him somewhere. He did assist in stopping the Dark Elves." Thor's usual thick harsh voice was brought down to a whisper as he spoke to his father. It was almost as if he was afraid of being overheard.

Then, Odin had an idea. A small smile played across his lips as he entertained the idea while he watched Loki being led away. "Wait." He said. The guards halted and turned around. "I have a better idea." Loki turned around then to watch as Odin descended his throne and walked over to him slowly. Once they were eye to eye, Odin said, "I will send you to Midgard. To the very city you unleashed an army upon. You will be made into a human walking amongst the others. They, not I, will punish you for your deeds." As Odin spoke, Loki's green eyes grew wide with terror. He knew what would be waiting for him on Midgard, thousands upon thousands of angry humans all eager to see him dead.

Odin turned to Thor and said, "See that it is done." He then walked back up to his throne and sat down and glared down at Loki's back as he and Thor walked away and turned the corner and headed towards the rainbow bridge.

Thor and Loki walked in silence for quite a while. They passed other Asgardians as they went about their daily business unaware of the injustice that was about to happen. Once they reached the Bifrost guard post, Thor told Heimdall, the gate keeper, what the All Father had said was to be done with Loki. Heimdall placed his large golden sword into the middle of the floor, thus starting up the Bifrost. Once it was all ready, Loki looked back at Thor and asked sarcastically, "Am I really to do this?"

"Yes Loki, you are! It is no less then you deserve." Thor replied. His gigantic mussels rippling as he stepped forward and pointed a threatening finger at his brother. With that, Loki grinned sadly and stepped into the transporter and vanished.

One minute, Loki was on Asgard, the next, he was on earth and his hands were unbound. He was still wearing his leather attire when he started walking along the road. He was not in the city, but rather a mile or two outside of it. It was hot in the blazing sun and the gentle wind brought little relief. As he was walking along, some of the passersby recognized him. They grabbed whatever they could find in order to injure him and began to follow him. Each of them were afraid of taking the first step so Loki did not think anything of it as he just continued to go about his way walking away from the city with the people trailing close behind.

Suddenly, he was hit from behind by a piece of wood. He stumbled and fell to the ground as a mob of angry people surrounded him and beat on him with the items that they had in their hands or they kicked him while they shouted at him. Some of them said things like 'You monster!' Others said 'You killed my friend!' There were other rude and cruel remarks that were made and directed towards him that I dare not mention.

Loki tried to fight back but he could not because every time he tried to push himself up, someone would either hit him on the back or step on his hands forcefully. After failing at attempting to stand about a hundred times, he decided that it would be best to just wait until they had their fill. The thrashing went on and on for what seemed like hours but, in reality, it was probably only a half hour.

Then, a female voice called out, "Stop!" But the beating did not cease. The voice called again a few moments later. This time it was closer as it asked, "Leave this man alone! Why are you doing this to him?" It was now right at his side so Loki looked over his shoulder because he wanted to see who was crazy enough to try and defend him.

Loki was shocked to find that it was a young girl. She had shoulder length brown hair and pale skin. He could not make out any other details about her because she was quickly pushed aside and landed on the ground with a soft thud.

He thought that was the end of her, but he was wrong. A few moments later, she called out again, "Stop it now! I am going to get the police!" The beating still did not stop. Soon, another man joined into the fray but this one was dressed in blue and gold fabric and he began pulling the brawlers off of Loki.

"Get off him!" This man shouted. When the people took no heed of his order, he raised a little silver object to his lips and when he blew on it, a sharp shrill whistle emanated from the small item. As soon as the sound rang through the air, the people backed away from Loki revealing a bloodied and bruised body.

The girl walked quickly up to him, knelt down beside him, and asked softly, "Are you alright?" Loki felt like shouting at her because he had just gotten attacked. He defiantly was not alright, but her voice was oddly soothing to him. Maybe it was because he just endured a half hour of endless pounding and shouting.

Loki nodded his head and pushed himself up with his bloodied hands so that he would be sitting upright when he examined this girl more closely. She appeared to be only about eighteen years of age and she had bright blue eyes that were filled with concern and sorrow as she watched him. She was wearing a purple shirt and a pair of loose pale blue jeans that had a few blood spots on the right leg. Lying at her side was what appeared to be a cane that was made out of drift wood. She offered a pale delicate hand to him to help him to his feet. Loki looked at her suspiciously through his swollen and bloodied green eyes. His shoulder length black hair was all disheveled and had bit of dirt splattered in it.

Ignoring her offer to help him up, Loki just stood on his own and looked down at her skeptically. There was a small bright smile growing on her face as she watched him stand up and she then struggled to her feet and the man that was dressed in blue gave her his hand as he helped her the rest of the way onto her feet. Once she was standing, Loki noticed that she was about a foot shorter than he was, if not an inch or so more.

Once she was standing, she smiled weakly and bowed her head in appreciation to the man in blue then turned to Loki and asked, "May I clean your wounds back at my house?"

Loki slowly nodded his head and watched as she offered her hand to him once again. This time he accepted her offer and took her hand. She smiled a bright warm smile as her pale fingers closed around his bloodied hand. Loki felt something inside him which he never thought he would ever feel ever again when he saw her smile and felt her soft hand in his rough grasp. He felt like someone genuinely cared about him.

As she walked with the cane in her right hand and her left hand grasping Loki's tightly, she led him into a small building that was poorly lite but was filled with warmth and the smell of fresh cut flowers wafting through the air. She led him into the kitchen and sat him down in a chair that was around a small table and then she walked over to a cupboard and retrieved a few items and came back to where he was seated. She placed a bottle of some strange liquid on the table along with some tape, gauze, and a bowl of water. She opened her mouth and a voice like sweet honey and the birds singing in the morning issued forth, "Could you please place your hands in the water?"

"Why?" Loki asked suspiciously.

She giggled lightly and said, "To clean them off before I treat them, silly" She replied with the same bright smile that had shown forth when she had taken his hand for the first time. Loki cautiously placed his hands in the bowl of water and watched as she picked up a cloth that was already on the table and dipped it into the bowel.

When the cloth came in contact with the skin on Loki's face, he winced slightly. "Sorry, I should have told you that it may sting." Again, Loki wanted to shout at her, but once he saw the look of distress and repentance on her face, the words vanished from his mind. He smiled weakly at her to show that it was alright so she proceeded to dab the blood off of his face. As she was doing so, she spoke, "My name is Grace. This is my house. If I find anyone who needs a roof over their head, food, or medical attention, I bring them here and do whatever I can to help them. You can stay here as long as you need to." Grace smiled at him and he found himself smiling a small smile back. "May I ask what your name is?" Her voice was soft and gentle as she spoke to him.

"Loki. My name is Loki." He responded.

Grace giggled slightly under her breath and continued to clean off his face with the liquid in the bottle that she retrieved from the cupboard. Loki was confused and Grace must have seen this on his face for she explained, "Your parents must have a sense of humor. Loki is the name of the Norse god of mischief." She smiled warmly and continued cleaning the wounds on his face.

"No, they do not have a sense of humor. I was just banished." Loki grumbled under his breath.

"Oh my!" Grace responded with shock clearly evident on her face. "Did they give a reason why?" She had stopped cleaning and looked in his green eyes as she waited expectantly for an answer.

For a moment, Loki considered telling her everything that transpired earlier that day. He compared Grace's gentle blue eyes to Frigga's loving blue eyes. Frigga, his adopted mother, had been killed recently by a Dark Elf. That event, past events, and the ones that followed are the reason that he was banished. She was the only one who ever made him feel like he belonged. She taught him how to use magic, a craft which he used often, and was taken from him. He felt a slight twinge of pain in his heart when he thought of his mother.

Grace watched as he thought over what to say to her and she saw his hands tighten into fists as they rested in the bowel of water. She watched as his smooth skin creased over his forehead in a mixture of rage and regret. His green eyes hardened and got a bit of an animalistic quality to them. Grace began to worry so she softly called his name. "Loki?"

Her soft soothing voice called him out of his thoughts of the past and back into the present. Loki looked into Grace's worried bright blue eyes as they searched his green ones for an explanation as to why he remained silent for so long. He found his voice after a few moments and answered her question that she had asked with a lie. "No. They did not give a reason why they banished me." He did not want to tell her the truth for fear that she would throw him out as well. She was the only person who had shown him any kindness in quite a while.

Grace smiled, shook her head slightly, and resumed cleaning his wounds. "You do realize that you are a terrible liar, correct? But, that is alright. If you do not want to tell me, you do not have to. Besides, it is none of my business." She said with a smile as she got a clean piece of gauze and medical tape off of the table. She then put it on a large gash that was over his left eye and taped it on. She then got a slight stern look on her face as she looked him in his green eyes and added, "But, please, do not lie to me again. It is not a wise thing to lie." Loki just nodded his head slowly. He was a bit caught off guard that this mortal could tell that he was lying to her.

"May I see your hands now, please?" Grace asked sweetly. Loki obliged and lifted his hands out of the water then Grace took them tenderly in her grasp and she cleaned them off one at a time using a different cloth that was on the table and the strange mysterious liquid that she used to clean the wounds on his face. She showed the same care and attention to his hands that she did when cleaning the wounds on his face.

As Loki watched her blue eyes going over every inch of his hands as she cleaned them carefully, he felt something inside his chest. It was almost like his heart was beating again. How could this be? How could this mortal, invoke these emotions in him? He must resist at all costs. What would others think if the god of mischief fell in love with a crippled human?

"There. Your hands are all clean now!" Grace said as she gently released his hand and grabbed the liquid off the table and walked back to the cabinet to put it away.

Loki watched Grace walk to the cabinet and placed the liquid back in it and then she excused herself with a slight bow and left the room. He just sat there and looked around the destitute room. It was small and poorly lite but there was a certain degree of warmth that he noticed upon entering the house that he never felt on all of Asgard in his entire life. He stood up then and walked over to the cabinet and opened it. Inside there were many bottles of liquids that were similar to the one that she used on him. Some were glass and others were plastic. He picked up a glass one in his hand and examined it closer. There were strange markings on it that he could not read. It must be in a different tongue.

"That is a powerful anti-bacterial liquid. They all are." Grace's voice came from behind him. Taken by surprise, he spun around and as he did, he dropped the small glass bottle and it shattered into a thousand pieces as soon as it hit the floor. Grace immediately walked over to the table, placed a change of clothes down, and picked up one of the cloths that were left on the table. She then struggled down to her knees and began to clean up the mess. Loki just stood there and watched her clean for a moment then he walked over to the table, grabbed a towel, and then he too knelt down and assisted in cleaning up the liquid. Grace thanked him for his help and once the liquid was all clear, she started to pick up the glass with her bare hands.

Loki watched as her hands got all bloody from the broken glass fragments coming in contact with her gentle skin. He carefully took the glass out of her hands and told her, "This is my fault. Let me clean it up. You go sit down and tend to your hands." His voice was soft and kind as he spoke to her.

Grace smiled and struggled to her feet again and walked over to the chairs and sat down as she watched Loki clean up the remainder of the glass. Once it was all clear, Loki stood up and walked over to the table and sat down on another chair that was around it. He watched as Grace slowly wrapped her hands in gauze and the blood began to soak through almost immediately. After she had finished, they sat in silence for a few moments.

Grace then looked over at Loki, stood up, and asked him, "Are you hungry? Can I make you something to eat?" She walked away into the kitchen and opened a peculiar looking cabinet and pulled out a carton that said 'eggs' on it.

"No, but thank you." Loki replied.

Grace looked over at him and smiled as she answered, "Nonsense! No offence, but you look like you have not eaten for days." As she spoke, she pointed a slender finger at him playfully. Loki smiled without knowing it as he listened to Grace's response to him. There was something about her that made him feel at ease.

Loki watched as Grace walked about the small room and noticed that she had a very peculiar gait. She limped and appeared to have a very difficult time bending her right leg. It also seemed as if every step she took caused her an incredible amount of pain. Why did she care about the troubles of others when it appeared as if she had enough of her own?

"Beth is late. She should have been home from school hours ago. I hope she is alright." Grace said sort of nonchalantly. She looked over at Loki and saw that he was staring at her feet. "Is everything alright?" She asked.

Loki was snapped out of his trance and looked up at her and blurted out, "What is wrong with your leg?" His voice had a trace amount of sorrow in it as he spoke. Grace heard it and placed the carton of eggs down on the counter. She then walked over to the table and sat down on the chair next to him. She pulled up her pant leg with the blood on it just far enough for him to see a medal brace on both sides of her foot. "I was born with a condition where the muscles in my right leg do not function properly. I have to wear this if I want to be able to walk even remotely customary."

Loki looked down at her brace and felt his rage beginning to rise in the pit of his stomach. "Why?" He whispered with a trace amount of anger in his voice.

"Why what?" Grace replied quietly.

Loki leaned forward and placed his head in his hands in an attempt to calm down and hide his anger. Grace then put her hand comfortingly on his back. They just sat there in silence as Loki composed himself enough to answer her. It took him a few moments before he could speak. When he could speak, he sat up and took a deep breath. He looked over at her and asked, "Who is Beth? Is she your sister? Your daughter?"

Grace stood back up and walked over to the counter and opened up the carton and pulled out the remaining two eggs that were contained within it and replied, "She is my adopted daughter. I do not have any paperwork to prove it but," She stopped for a moment and thought about what to say next. She broke open the eggs and fried them on a pan as she continued speaking. "You see she is an orphan who was living alone on the streets. I took her in." She then turned to him and said with a smile on her face, "You look uncomfortable in that leather attire. I brought a change of clothes out for you. They are lying there on the table. You can go into one of those rooms and change if you like while I make the eggs." She then pointed to a different room and added, "You can also clean the dirt out of your hair in the bathroom there I you wish."

Loki nodded his head and grabbed the clothes and walked out of the room. At that moment, the door opened and a little girl of about five or six years of age with black hair, dark green eyes, and a bright cheerful smile came running into the house shouting, "Grace, I am home."

Grace smiled and answered her by calling back, "I am in the kitchen, Beth." Beth came running into the room and jumped into Grace's open arms. Grace picked her up, set her on her hip, and said to her, "Where have you been, young lady? I was worried about you."

"I made a friend today. I was at her house and her mom made cookies." Beth replied with a smile.

Grace smiled a large joyful smile and answered, "I am so glad to hear that! May I ask what her name is?"

"Her name is Liza." Beth responded.

"She sounds lovely!" Grace replied as she turned back to the eggs that were frying on the stove.

As soon as Beth saw them on the stove she curled up her nose and complained, "Eggs again?"

"Hey, they are the only thing I can afford on my own. You are not cheap, young lady. You keep growing and needing new clothes."

Grace responded with a tinge of lighthearted teasing in her voice.

They continued to banter back and forth for a few moments. They were not aware of it, but Loki was listening to them with a small content smile on his face. He was standing in the adjacent room in the dark already changed into the new clothing that Grace had pulled out for him. It had been a long time since he heard loving banter and he had forgotten how wonderful it was.

The subject ranged from food to clothing and then people. Then, Grace told her about the guest that she brought to the house while Beth was away at school. She expertly explained to the young one the circumstances surrounding Loki, at least the ones she knew of. Then Grace set Beth down and told her to go run along and wash up for dinner. After she ran around the corner, Loki stepped into the room and Grace looked over at him and smiled. He had a dark pair of blue jeans on and a dark green T-shirt. "You look nice." She said with a heartfelt smile. She then turned back to the eggs and added, "I thought you would like those colors since are similar to the ones you were wearing earlier."

Loki looked down at the clothing that he was wearing and smiled slightly as he took a cautious step into the room. "I do like them; the clothes themselves are a bit uncomfortable though."

"You will get used to it." She replied. She looked over at him and smiled a reassuring grin. Loki could not figure out what it was, but there was something in her smile that caused him to relaxed and let his guard down slightly. It was almost like she engendered some sort of trust.

Grace then put the two eggs on separate plates and brought them over to the table. After she set those down she collected some silverware and carried them over to the table as well. Once she set those down she told Loki to sit down at the table with his back against the wall facing the entryway into the kitchen. As soon as he sat down, Beth finished washing up and ran back into the kitchen with a large smile on her face. She froze in place the moment she saw Loki and the smile vanished from her face.

Grace saw her and called her into the room reassuringly. Beth slowly and cautiously approached, never taking her eyes off of the man at the other end of the table. Once she sat down adjacent from him, he noticed that her eyes were a dark shade of green. Grace then placed one plate in front of her and the other in front of Loki and she joined them with nothing but a glass of tap water.

Loki felt a bit out of place among these two as Beth ate her meager meal of one small egg while Grace sat there sipping water. He remembered eating in the banquet hall on Asgard. There were always mass quantities of food and drink there and it hardly ever went to waste. But there were times were some of it did. Meanwhile here, there was very little food and a growing child. What little food they had, Grace was giving to Beth and him.

Loki looked down at the egg on the plate that was set in front of him and picked up the fork and knife. He then proceeded to cut the egg in half then he gave one half to Beth and he pushed his plate in front of Grace. They both looked up at him in shock and Grace asked, "Did I cook it incorrectly?"

"No, of course not. It is just." He stopped for a moment and looked at both Beth's and Grace's questioning faces. "I think you two should have it." Grace looked into his green eyes and smiled, she then proceeded to cut what he had given to her in half and looked back up at him. She then went and got another plate with silverware and came back to the table.

"We can share it." She said as she picked up the larger half with her fork and knife. She then laid it on the new plate that she had just retrieved and placed it in front of him. Loki was confused. She cleaned his wounds, gave him new clothes, and she is even allowing him to stay at her house. Now she is giving him some of the meager food that she has. Was there no end to this girl's generosity? Did she even know what he tried to do to the world that she lives in a few years ago?

After they ate, Grace showed Loki a room in which he could sleep and then she went to tuck Beth into bed. Loki looked about the room and saw that there were several small cots in the room and there was one small window that faced west with a cot beside it. Loki looked out and saw the sun setting in the distance and for the first time in a long while, he marveled at how beautiful it was. He stood there and watched as the sun sank over the horizon and saw shades of purples and pink along with some orange arise into the sky.

When Beth was lying in bed and Grace had finished tucking her in, she whispered to Grace, "He is scary."

"Who is?" Grace whispered back. Her blue eyes glimmered in the fading light that shone in from the single window in the room.

"Loki." Beth answered.

"Why do you think that?" Grace asked.

"He looks like the man who tried to destroy the city." Beth replied.

"I realize that he does. But I assure you, he is different. You need to get to sleep, dear. Do not forget to say your prayers." Grace then kissed the young girls forehead gently and walked to the door. She turned around to look back at Beth when she was in the entryway and said with a smile on her face, "Do not worry. Everything will be fine." She then closed the door and walked into the kitchen and began to clean up from dinner.

Loki was still watching the sunset when he heard her coming. He turned away from the beautiful colors in the sky and began to walk back to the kitchen. When he saw Grace standing at the sink scrubbing one of the plates clean, he stopped in his tracks. He stood there puzzling over her for a few moments. Why should someone as lovely as her care about a monster like him enough to give him a place to stay in her house?

Grace's hair was pulled back revealing that she had high cheek bones and sharp angular features. There was a slight smile resting on her soft pink lips as her bright blue eyes were set on the second dish as she washed the egg residue off of it. A slight breeze blew in from the open window in front of her and a strand of her brown hair that was hanging loose framing her face blew gently.

"Are you just going to stand there and stare at me, or are you going to do me the courtesy of coming into the room and speaking with me." Grace said. She looked over at him with a bright smile on her face and a glimmer in her blue eyes.

Loki was leaning against the wall as he observed her. Once he heard that Grace was aware of him watching her he immediately stood up straight and walked into the kitchen. He sat down at the table and saw that she had taken the wrapping off her hands. As he watched her dry the dishes, he noticed that it appeared that there were no wounds on her hands. He immediately stood up and walked over to her and asked, "May I see your hands?"

Grace was a bit confused at this request, but she offered her hands to him all the same. He gently took her hands in his and examined them closely. The cuts were indeed gone; in fact there was not even mark on her hands. It appeared as if nothing had even happened to them ever before.

Grace watched as Loki examined her hands carefully with a concerned look on her face. She looked up at his face as his green eyes slowly went over every single detail on her hands as he turned them over and over in his. "Is everything alright?" She asked after a few moments of silence had passed.

"Where are the cuts from the glass?" Loki asked as he looked into her worried blue eyes.

"I have always been a quick healer." Grace responded as she took her hands out of his and resumed drying the silverware.

"But that was thirty minutes ago! How could they have healed that fast?" Loki asked. His voice was raised slightly and his forehead was creased with confusion.

Grace remained silent for a few moments and continued to wash the pan that the eggs were fried in. Loki watched her and waited for an answer that did not come.

Loki turned and began to leave back to the room that he was to stay in when Grace answered, "When I was around six years old I had a friend who hand broken her arm when she fell from a tree that she had been climbing. My mother and I went to see her at her home after she got back from the hospital. When I sat next to her, I do not know why I did it, but I put my hand on her broken arm. Perhaps it was because I wanted to know what a broken bone felt like or perhaps I knew on some level what would happen afterwards." She stopped here and walked over to Loki who was standing in the middle of the kitchen listening intently. She stopped right in front of him and looked up into his eager green eyes.

"What happened?" Loki asked quietly.

"Her bone healed. It just snapped back into place and fused together. It must have been painful because she screamed so loud it was likely to have been heard across the block. As a result, her parents thought I was a witch and we were driven out of the house never to return." Loki listened to this story with growing concern. He had a vague idea of what was coming next.

Grace continued explaining with tears forming in her eyes. "As I grew, so did my gift and people I came in contact with were terrified of me. Eventually, even my parents grew to be frightened. So one day, they packed my things, loaded me in to the car, drove here, and left me."

Loki then pulled her into a tight embrace and let her cry on his shoulder. This could be why he felt so comfortable in her presence. They both had been rejected by their birth parents.

Back on Asgard, Thor walked up to Heimdall and asked him, "Can you see Loki?"

Heimdall replied in his deep gravely yet kind voice, "Yes I can."

"What happened when he arrived?" Thor asked. He was trying to hide how worried he was about his brother, but it was given away but the curious tone in his voice.

"He was attacked by several humans a few minutes after he arrived. But he is safe now. A young lady rescued him from being beaten to death. She cleaned him up and feed him. She even is allowing him to reside at her house." Heimdall answered with a smile on his face.

Thor smiled and let out a relived sigh as he said to himself, "He is being cared for. That is good to hear."

Later, Thor was sitting at the banquet table silently as all of the others sat around laughing and telling stories over each other. Lady Sif was sitting beside him and she noticed that he was not reveling as he usually does. He had not even finished his first cask of ale which was very unusual for him. "What is troubling you, my lord?" She asked.

Thor looked over at her and said, "Nothing." He grinned and took a swig of his ale.

Sif was not taking that for an answer. She could tell that there was something on his mind. "Do not lie to me, Thor. Does this have anything to do with Loki?"

Thor looked into her worried green eyes and confessed, "It does. He still lives and I am concerned that he will cause more trouble than good."

Sif smiled and said, "Do not worry about him tonight. See to your guests. Smile. Laugh with your warriors."

Thor took her advice and joined in the loud celebration only adding to the sheer volume of the gathering.

The next morning, Loki was woken by a sharp rap at the door. He got out of bed, stretched, and walked into the front of the small house. Grace was already at the door and when she opened it there were four muscular men standing there. One had a gun in his large hand and the others had knives.

As soon as Loki saw them, he ducked behind a wall. He knew that now he was human he could very easily be killed. He had no magic and no tricks to rely on. He only had a cripple with the gift of healing to assist him.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" Grace asked. She knew what was happening but she did not want to let on that she knew anything about it. She was not going to lie, but she was not going to let them know who was in her house.

"Have you seen him?" One burley man with a knife asked. He was bald with hard green eyes and had a brown handle-bar mustache. There were black tattoos on his arms and one of a barbed wire around his neck.

"Seen who?" Grace asked keeping up the pretense that she had no knowledge that Loki was around. The men seemed to believe it.

"The monster who unleashed an army of aliens in the city." Answered another one of the men. This one had black hair that was cut into a buzz cut with dark brown eyes and a singular tattoo of skull and crossbones on his arm.

Grace thought for a moment and said in reply, "Just for the sake of argument, what will you do to him once you find him?"

The man who held the gun spoke up now and said, "We will show him what happens to people who mess with New York. We are going to kill him." He had black hair that was a bit longer than the previous mans but he hand piercings on his face and a tattoo of a tear drop under his right hazel eye. The other men shouted in agreement with what this one had said.

Loki took a deep breath and looked over at Grace. He was mustering up the courage to confront the men at the door when he saw that Grace waved her hand behind the door at him to stay where he was.

Grace looked down at the ground for a moment and closed her eyes and said, "Forgive me for I am really slow." She looked up at the men then asked, "How exactly does that make you any different than him?"

This caught the men of guard. How was someone supposed to respond to that? It took a few moments but the man with the gun eventually answered, "Because he killed hundreds of people, we will only kill him." The other men shouted in agreement once again.

Grace did not waste any time responding to them. She actually shouted at them saying, "It is still murder! Do you really want his blood on your hands for the rest of your life?" She glared at the men at her door and with her bright blue eyes in conjunction with her pale skin it looked truly frightening. The fourth man tried to shove his way past her into the house but she stopped him by putting her arm out blocking the door in front of him and saying, "Where do you think you are going?"

"I thought I heard something inside. I am going to check it out." He had blonde hair that was left to grow and was disheveled. His dark green eyes were hard and suspicious.

"This is my house; I use it for healing purposes. I do not want you and your goons coming in and disturbing my patients!" Grace persisted. Loki could hear in her voice that her temper was rising. For some reason, he knew that her anger was nothing to be scoffed at and the men at the door must have known it as well, for they turned and left.

Once they were about six steps away, the man with the blonde hair turned back around and said, "If you do see him, be sure to let us know." Then he turned around and jogged to catch up with the other three.

Grace said under her breath, "I will do no such thing." There was a certain level of anger and rage in her voice that Loki did not think possible for someone as peaceful as she was. Grace composed herself and turned back into the house then closed the door softly behind her.

When she rounded the corner, she saw Loki still leaned up against the wall with a confused look on his face. "Why did you defend me?" He asked with shock and confusion clear in his voice.

Grace smiled and answered sweetly, "Because you are not the one that they are looking for." Then she went and knocked on Beth's door. She opened the door and walked in to wake her up because it was time for her to get ready for school. She saw that Beth was already awake and dressed so she smiled and offered to walk her to school.

Once they had left, Loki was left alone in the house. He sat in the sitting room looking at the other cots in the room when he remembered what Grace had told him last night and that she had treated his wounds. He looked at his hands and noticed that there was not a single mark on them. He then quickly stood up and walked over to the small mirror in the bathroom. He looked in it and saw the bandages on his face that had blood soaked through them completely. One at a time, he took them off and was stunned to see that all of his wounds were healed! Just like his hands, there was not a single mark on his face.

"Admiring yourself as usual, I see." Said a masculine voice behind him. Loki turned around and saw Thor standing there in full battle armor with his long red cape blowing in the soft breeze coming from the open window in the room. With a confused look on his face, he added, "Heimdall said you had gotten attacked. But there is not a mark on you. Why?"

Loki smiled in a cocky manner and said in his usual tough tone of voice, "Well I guess Heimdall was not watching closely enough."

"Why do you have bloody bandages in your hand then?" Thor pointed his muscular hand at the gauze that was in Loki's grasp.

Loki looked down at the gauze and frowned. He quickly devised a lie to tell his brother, but it got caught in his throat when he heard the door open and footsteps coming into the kitchen. "Get out!" He said quietly but forcefully. When Thor did not move, he persisted, "At least go into a different room." His voice was a bit softer then Thor was used to and it was very perplexing. "Please."

Thor was even more confused by this. What had caused this sudden change in his brother? He humored him and walked into a different room. Perhaps he could see what had happened to his brother when this person that is approaching enters the room.

The moment Thor was out of view, Grace walked into the room and saw Loki standing there with the bandages off of his face. She grinned and said, "All better I see. I suppose you will be leaving soon." Loki could see a slight hint of sorrow hidden behind her smile as those words came out of her mouth.

Loki, forgetting that Thor was just in the other room listening and possibly watching, walked the few steps up to Grace and tried to cautiously take her hands in his but she pulled them away. He looked into her eyes and said quietly, "Why would I do that?"

Grace looked down at the floor and answered, "Because everyone does."

Loki gently placed his hand under her chin and lifted her eyes. "Listen, Grace. You are the only person who has ever shown me any kindness and quite possibly, the only one who ever will. Why would I leave you so suddenly?"

Grace smiled and hugged him close. After a moment or two, she let him go and walked further into the kitchen. "I stopped at the store and picked up a few things. Would you like something to eat?"

Loki turned around and saw Thor standing in the shadows of the adjacent room with a large smile on his face. He quickly walked into that room and before he could say anything, Thor said softly, "I am glad you have found someone to care about, brother."

"Who says I care about her?" Loki snapped back in a hushed tone. His voice was harsh and rough as he glared at Thor.

Thor chuckled and put his hand on his brother's shoulder, "Your face did. I will leave you now." He then turned to leave.

"Wait, before you go." Loki stopped him. Thor turned around and saw an expression on his brother's face he never thought he would see again. It was strange seeing this look of concern mixed with worry painted on Loki's face. "Could you bring some food? Grace hardly has enough to feed herself let alone the growing young girl she is raising on her own." He asked.

Thor grinned and answered, "I will see what I can do." With that, Thor left back into the Bifrost.

Loki quickly walked back into the kitchen and said, "No, I am alright. I am not really hungry."

Grace looked back at him and smiled. "Nonsense, you have not eaten anything since dinner. At least not that I am aware of." Her warm smile seemed to penetrate deep into Loki's lost and broken heart and it warm it a bit. On some level, Loki knew that he would not regret meeting this girl.

When Thor exited the Bifrost he was still chuckling to himself. That is until he saw that the All Father had come to see what was occurring. As soon as he saw his father, the smile vanished from his face and he froze in place.

"Thor, perhaps you can explain to me just where you were." Odin said. His voice stern as he fixed his eldest son with a one-eyed glare.

"I was visiting Loki, father." Thor explained slightly sheepishly.

"I was not aware that you were going to afford him this courtesy." Odin replied.

"Father, Loki has changed. I am not sure how but," Thor stopped and looked down at the ground as he formed the correct phrase. "I think he is falling in love."

"How can that be? It has only been two days." Odin shouted.

Thor was flabbergasted as well, "I assure you, father, I am just as confused as you are." He smiled.

Odin turned to Heimdall, who was standing there silently, and asked, "Have you been watching him?"

"Yes I have, my king." Heimdall responded.

"How is it possible that Loki might fall in love with a human, the very race he tried to brutally concur?" Odin asked as he turned back to his son.

"I am not sure, father. It is a mystery." Thor smiled.


	2. My Confession

Loki awoke then next morning and walked into the kitchen to try and prepare a meal for the two humans who were kind enough to take him in. When he rounded the corner and saw the table, he grinned. It was overflowing with breads, meats, fruits, cheeses, cakes, muffins, wine, and ale. He then heard Grace sitting up in bed and putting her brace on. She walked out into the kitchen and saw Loki standing there watching her with a large bright smile on his face.

Grace was in the process of pulling her hair up when she came into the kitchen and saw Loki standing there. She dropped her hands to her sides and smiled back, "What is it?"

"Look at the table." Loki answered quietly.

Grace looked over at the table and was shocked to find a pile of food sitting there. She placed her hands over her heart and smiled. "Were did all this come from?" She asked quietly. She looked over at him and asked, "Do you have something to do with this marvelous gift?"

Loki said to her with a slight shy grin, "I had it flown in."

Grace smiled and thanked him then she went and woke Beth up by saying, "Come out and look at this, dear." Beth came out of her room slowly as she rubbed the sleep away from her eyes.

When Beth opened her eyes and saw all the food on the table she let out a high pitched squeal for joy and raced up to the table in order grasp it to make sure the food was not a figment of her imagination. She grabbed a loaf of bread and remarked, "It is still warm." When she broke it in half the smell of freshly baked bread filled the small room with its tantalizing warmth. She handed one of the halves to Grace who took it gratefully. She then turned to Loki and asked, "Did you do this?"

Loki looked down at her and smiled a small modest grin and said softly, "Just a little."

A large smile spread across Beth's face when she heard his answer. She jumped up and ran the few steps over his way and wrapped Loki's legs in a tight embrace. He then pried her arms off of his legs and knelt down and then hugged her back. After they embraced for few moments, Beth whispered in Loki's ear, "I am sorry I thought you were scary." She then gave him a quick little shy kiss on the cheek and ran back over to the food and began to munch happily on a piece of cake as she sat on the floor.

Loki was stunned. He was frozen in place as he still felt the warmth of Beth's kiss on his cold cheek. Grace walked over to him and helped him to his feet. They both watched Beth eat for a few minutes as Grace's arms were wrapped around one of Loki's. "As much as I appreciate this wonderful gift from you, we cannot keep all of this food."

Loki looked over at her in shock and asked, "Why not?"

Grace looked up at him and smiled. "There are a lot of people who are less fortunate then us, Loki. It is our obligation to help them."

Loki looked back at the table and watched as Beth chomped on a muffin and replied quietly to Grace, "Where are you going to take it?"

Grace looked up at him and said, "You are not going to come with me? I am sure they would love to see a new face."

Loki thought about it for a moment then he said quietly, "What time are we leaving?"

A few minutes later, both Grace and Loki were walking along the street and Grace was carrying a basket of food in her left hand and using her wooden cane with the right. Loki was walking at her side closer to the street as he carried another basket of food in his left hand. There was a small white towel covering the food in each basket to help keep it warm. As they walked along, people who passed watched them and pointed their fingers at him knowingly. They recognized him, but did not do anything about it other than whisper among each other and cast threatening glances at the two of them as they walked along the street in silence.

After a few minutes, Loki whispered in Grace's ear, "Where are we taking this food?"

"There is a little soup kitchen that is just on the edge of the city that I bring food and clothing too as often as I am able. We are going to take it there." Grace answered.

They walked in silence for about a mile when a small building, slightly larger than Grace's house, came into view. They continued to walk towards it and eventually they reached the door. Loki held it open as Grace walked into the building. As soon as she did, there was a chorus of joyful voices calling her name.

Several people walked up to her and gave her a tight hug or a kiss on the cheek, sometimes even both. The smile on her face was heavenly. You could tell that she enjoyed were she was and she felt completely comfortable there. However, as soon as Loki walked in the door, one person shouted, "What is he doing here?" in a livid tone of voice. Another one shouted, "He should know better than to come here." The atmosphere of the room changed from one of love and bliss to one of hostility and retribution in a split second.

Almost everyone that was in the room grabbed something whether it be a knife, a cooking utensil, or even a rolling pin and started to encroach on him waving their makeshift weapons threateningly in the air. Loki slowly backed out of the door because he would have more room to fight off his attackers outdoors.

Since Loki could see the enemy in front of him, he had time to devise a strategy to take them down. A bone chilling smile grew on his face as he backed out of the door and the others followed him out into the crisp morning air. But, after he exited the door and before anyone else had a chance to, Grace stepped in between them with her arms held up as she shouted at them.

"Stop! He is here to help!" Grace cried in a loud voice that rang through the quiet morning air. Upon seeing her, they stopped their advancement and gazed quizzically at her as if to ask, _'Really? Him?' _Slowly, they all crossed their arms defensively over their chests as they eyed Loki suspiciously.

Grace turned to Loki and whispered softly to him, "Show them the food that you brought."

Loki gradually brought the basket in front of him and showed it to them as he pulled the light cloth off of it revealing the meats and the cheeses. One woman who was in the back pushed through the crowd and said, "Oh this is beautiful. We will be able to serve twenty meals with all of this food. Thank you, Grace. Who, may I ask, is your handsome friend here?" The woman was a bit overweight and had thinning brown hair. She had pale kindly green eyes that glimmered when she spoke with a thick Italian accent.

Grace smiled courteously and introduced Loki to all of the people that were there. She also told them that he was the one who had gotten all of this food for them. The Italian woman, whose name was Clara, walked up to Loki and gave him such a huge tight hug that he had trouble breathing while she was embracing him. Once she let him go, he took a few deep breaths and managed to smile shyly back at her.

Grace watched as each person individually walked up to Loki and thanked him for his generous contribution. Some of them hugged him, but most just shook his hand with their makeshift weapon in the other hand held behind their back. She watched as a bright smile grew on his face as each person thanked him. She herself could not help but smile when she realized how beautiful it looked on his pale face. She wondered why he did not smile more often when it looked so pleasant on him.

When Grace first saw him on the street, Loki had a look of pain in his eyes that was mixed with anguish and distain. They had melted away from his face as soon as she took his hand for the first time. There was, however, an appearance of pain in his eyes that remained, but it was not as evident as it was when they first met. The man's face that stood in front of her now was filled with joy and a slight amount of love. But he was still holding back. She wondered why that was.

Loki looked over at her and saw her watching him with a warm expression on her face. Somehow, as he looked at her, he felt something deep inside of him growing stronger and stronger with each passing moment. Was it admiration, or was it something else entirely? Was he truly beginning to care for her as Thor had said? No. He was beginning to fall in love with her.

After they had dropped off the food, Loki and Grace began the long walk back to her house. Grace was limping more than usual as they walked side by side and Loki noticed this and contemplated asking her what was wrong. But before he could Grace said to him, "You can continue on to the house. I am going to stay here and rest for a bit."

Grace then proceeded to lean against the wall of the building that they were beside, leaned forward, and rubbed her right knee. Loki watched as her face twisted in pain as she tried to stand on it again. "If you do not mind, I think I will stay here with you." Loki said. When Grace looked up at him she saw that there was genuine concern in his softening green eyes.

Grace smiled appreciatively up at him and said, "I would like that very much. Thank you."

Loki leaned against the wall beside her and looked at her and asked after a few moments of silence, "May I ask you a question?" His voice was soft and kind as he spoke. It was almost as if he was afraid that someone would overhear for he spoke in a hushed tone voice.

Grace looked up into his green eyes and smiled her customary heartfelt smile. "Of course you can. What is on you mind?" She responded quietly as well.

Loki hesitated to ask the question. He looked down at the ground. Grace was growing worried for it took him a few moments to answer. "Since you have the gift of healing, why do you not heal your leg?" He finally asked.

Grace could not help but let out a little sigh of relief. "Because that would be a waste. I believe that gifts are meant to be shared, not to be kept too yourself or used for your own gain."

"But it would relieve your pain." Loki pointed out.

Grace nodded her head and said, "True, it would alleviate the pain. But, the way I look at it is this:" Loki was now listening intently to what she was saying. "Pain or hard times can do one of two things to a person. 1. It can make you caring, loving, and understanding. Or 2. It can make you cold, heartless, and hostile. I try to use my pain to sympathize with others, so I know, in part, what it is like to be in their shoes."

"But you healed your hands." Loki protested.

Grace laughed a light joyful giggle and responded, "I have no control over the healing of outward injuries on myself. It is probably responsible for me looking younger than my years as well. Healing inward injuries like bones and muscles on others, that takes a lot of energy. Can you imagine what it would be like if I healed myself? I have been like this for as long as I can remember." She smiled and resumed rubbing her knee.

"How old are you then?" Loki asked.

"I am in my thirties." She responded with a smile as she looked up at him.

Loki looked at her in shock. He could not believe his ears. There was no way this girl was actually thirty! "You are joking, right?" He asked after a few moments.

Grace laughed again and said, "No, Loki. I am not joking. It has been twenty years since my parents left me here." She looked at him and smiled. "But I wish I did show my age. I find the idea of aging to be extremely beautiful and poetic."

"How so?" Loki asked confused.

Grace smiled as she responded by saying, "Because, you do not just have one face all your life, but a variety brought on by time. It shows the years that you have lived and the wisdom that you have obtained over that time. Every passion that burned inside at the core of your being and everything that broke your heart. Every scar tells the story of a struggle that you have overcome. It shows your strength and your patients. Everything that you have had to endure during your lifetime."

Her smile seemed to permeate deep into his shattered and frozen heart and almost force him to care. But, there was nothing to force. Loki felt as if he would give his tattered and damaged heart to her willingly if she but asked for it. He smiled back at her and she blushed shyly and looked away up into the blue evening sky.

"Do you ever wonder if there is something else out there, Loki?" She asked after a few moments.

Loki looked up into the sky and saw a bright blue sky with small white clouds scattered about the horizon and said, "I am sure there is." Then he looked over at her and said quietly, "None of it is as glorious as you." Grace heard him say this and she smiled shyly as she glanced down at the ground once more.

"Did I just say that out loud?" Loki asked slightly embarrassed.

Grace giggled and looked up at him and saw that he had a worried expression on his face. She smiled warmly and responded to him, "Yes, you did. It was very sweet. I appreciate it."

Loki cautiously reached over to take her hand. When he did, Grace looked over at him and saw that his green eyes were locked on her as his hand tenderly grasped hers. She looked down at the ground to hide the fact that she was blushing once again.

"May I tell you something?" Loki asked quietly. "You will think of me differently after I do. But I cannot continue lying to you."

Grace looked back up at him and taking a deep breath, nodded her head slowly. She was nervous of what he may tell her.

"I am the very same man who invaded the city a few years ago. I killed over one hundred people and did not feel an ounce of regret. I was pleased that people were afraid of me. I relished it!" Loki explained. He paused for a moment and looked at Grace with confusion. "Why are you smiling?" He asked.

Grace replied to him, "I recognized you the moment I saw you in the street the other day. You stood right in front of me while you were in the city all those years ago."

Once again, Loki was shocked by this mortal in front of him. She knew what he had done all along and she still chose to take him in and care for him. He could not believe it! "Why did you even take me into your house? You knew I was a monster and yet," He stopped in the middle of his shouting and took a deep breath as if to fight off the tears that Grace saw forming in his eyes. "You showed me love. Why?" Loki said. His voice was quieter this time and a small tear made its way down his left cheek.

Grace smiled warmly and gently wiped the tear off his face. Then she placed her left hand on the side of his face tenderly as she explained softly, "First off, you are not a monster. You are only a monster if you chose to be. Secondly, the man I saw then and the man I saw yesterday are drastically different. The one from a few years ago was tormented by agony and heartbreak. Those two feelings combined can make one do unimaginable things. The other man had all but given up. I saw it in your eyes, Loki. Even though you were trying to fight off those who wished to do you harm, your spirit had been broken. I am not sure what has happened to you, but whatever it was, it must have been terrible." She paused and looked deep into his expectant green eyes. "Loki, you have the heart of a king. If only you would let others see it, you could enchant the world."

Loki then pulled Grace into a tight hug. Grace could have sworn that she heard him weeping slightly and that she felt a cold tear hit her back. Time seemed to hold still for that brief amount of time that they were in each other's arms. After about ten minutes Grace whispered in his ear, "We really must be getting back. Beth will be home from school soon. I still have to bake a cake for her."

Loki let her go and quickly wiped a tear from his eye before Grace could see. But he was too late; she already knew that he had wept. Whether it be from joy or sorrow, she did not know. Loki looked in her bright blue eyes and answered, "Why do you have to bake a cake?"

Grace smiled and said, "Because it is the anniversary of her coming into my house. Come then. Let us go back to the house now."

Grace and Loki walked together slowly back to the house. When they entered the house Grace headed right to the kitchen to begin making the cake. Loki intercepted her at the fridge and told her to go sit down and that he would prepare dinner.

"You know how to bake?" Grace asked him with a smile on her face. She had a hint of warm skepticism in her voice as she looked at him. He looked like he never cooked or baked anything in his entire life.

"How hard can it be?" He answered. Turning to the kitchen counter, he picked up the box of vanilla cake mix that Grace had purchased the other day and opened it. Grace had already gotten the bowl out so he poured the mix into it and stopped. He looked at the mix that was in the bowl as he thought, _'What do I do now?'_

Loki knew that Grace was watching him closely and he wanted to show her that he could indeed bake a cake, but he was utterly lost. In his desperation, he turned the box around and saw to his relief that there were directions on the back and that there were more ingredients needed. He grabbed three eggs and set them in the dish with the mix. Grace giggled slightly for some reason and told him to continue.

He got some water in one of the cups from the cupboard and poured it in the mix on top of the eggs that were still in their shell. He looked on the back of the box again and saw that there was one final ingredient, vegetable oil. _'What the heck is that?' _Loki thought as he looked at it. Grace saw his eyebrows furrow with confusion so she stood up and walked over to him.

"Would you like some help?" Grace asked with a smile as she tried not to laugh.

Loki looked over at her and saw a look of pure joy on her face as she looked into his puzzled green eyes. Grace held out her hand for the box and Loki handed it to her slowly. A smile grew on her face as he passed the box over to her. When he started to leave to go sit down, Grace called to him with a hint of laughter in her voice, "Where are you going? I thought you wanted to bake the cake?"

Loki turned back around and saw Grace standing there watching him with a confused joyous expression on her angelic face. He contemplated continuing on to the sitting room and Grace must have seen this in his placid facial expression for she reached out for him with her right hand.

Loki grinned slightly and walked the few steps up to her and took her outstretched hand. A dazzling smile grew on her face as her gentle fingers closed around his cold hand. When she turned back to the bowl, she let go of his hand and picked up the eggs that were lying at the base. "You are supposed to use the inside of the egg, Loki. I do not think it would taste right if you used the shells as well." She explained to him as she broke the eggs and added the inside into the mix. She then proceeded to add the other ingredients to the mix and then she got a whisk and put it into the bowel then she turned to Loki an asked sweetly, "Would you like to stir it?"

Loki smiled, grasped the handle of the whisk firmly, and paused. It was apparent that he had no knowledge of how to mix the contents in the bowl that was sitting in front of him. Grace gently put her hand over his that was grasping the whisk tightly and slowly began to show him how to stir. She then removed her hand and walked over to the stove and turned it on. She came back and poured a bit of a brown liquid into the mix and watched as Loki continued stirring the mixture. She asked for the whisk for a moment and scraped the sides and the bottom of the bowl as she proceeded to tell Loki that he had to make sure that he got all of the mix off the sides and the bottom of the bowl.

Grace then gave the whisk back to Loki and as he continued to stir it, she grabbed a long metal pan and put some butter on the bottom of it. She then carried it over and set it beside Loki on the counter. Following Grace's instructions, he poured the batter into the pan and smoothed it out.

Grace then placed it in the small oven and set a timer on top of the stove. Then they both walked into the sitting room and sat on the wooden bench that served as a couch. Grace then turned to Loki, smiled, and said, "It means a lot that you helped bake the cake, Loki. Beth will be pleased."

Loki grinned slightly and said to Grace in response, "I really did not do that much."

"You tried to make it on your own though." Grace protested as she placed her hand gently on his knee cap.

"I did not get very far." Loki looked into her bright cheerful blue eyes and thought he saw the same look of love that use to be in his mother's eyes when she would visit him in prison. Perhaps it was just his cold and broken heart wishing for things that were not there.

"There is a first time for everything. Even when it comes to learning how to mix ingredients." Grace said as she playfully pushed his shoulder.

Loki chuckled softly under his breath and Grace could have sworn that she heard music in his laughter. She smiled and looked away. Surely it was just her mind playing tricks on her.

They sat there in silence for a few moments and Loki was the one to break the silence when he asked, "How long have you been doing this?"

Grace squinted her eyes as she thought over the question "I am sorry, I do not understand. Could you please rephrase the question?" Grace replied as she looked over at him.

Loki smiled and replied, "Certainly. How long have you been helping people and bring them into your home?"

"Let me think about that for a moment." Grace answered. "It has probably been about twelve years."

Loki's eyes grew wide with shock. "Really? You have spent twelve years bringing people into your house when you have no knowledge of their past, no knowledge if they are a good person or not, but you bring them in anyway on the soul notion that they are in need of aid?"

Grace replied calmly, "Loki, one should not need to know a person's past. The only thing I need to know is that they are in need of assistance. I know what it is like to be in need of support or a friendly face and I know how to recognize it in others. I also do not believe there are any bad people in the world, only bad choices."

As she spoke, Loki felt himself giving in to her tender words. It was almost as if Grace had a magic spell in her voice that could soothe the raging spirit that dwelt within him. He watched her face and her lips as they slowly formed the words that she was communicating to him and could not help but smile when he saw her eyes glimmering as she spoke to him. He felt like he wanted to do something for her other than just give her nourishment, but he did not know just what. He did not have any magic.

At that moment the timer went off and Grace jumped up off the coach and got the cake out of the oven. Loki could smell the rich fragrance of freshly baked vanilla cake wafting through the air of the small house. Grace called him out to the kitchen after a few minutes and when he came in he saw that she had transferred the cake onto a large glass plate.

"Look at this beautiful cake. Does it not feel satisfying to know that you helped make it?" Grace asked him with a warm smile on her face.

Loki smiled back at her and responded, "Yes, I suppose it does." Grace tentatively pushed a strand of his coal black hair out of his face and behind his ear. He thought he felt his heart beginning to mend when she place her soft hand on his shoulder.

Suddenly, there was an urgent and quick knock at the door. Grace walked as quick as she could to answer the door and when she opened it she saw a young boy with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes standing there gasping for breath as if he ran a long distance to find her. Immediately, she could tell that there was something wrong.

"Come quick." They boy managed to say between raged breaths.

Grace called to Loki who was still back in the kitchen to bring a glass of water. When he arrived with it, she gave it to the child who drank it all in one swig. "Now, can you explain what is happening, please?" Grace asked after the boy gave the glass back to Loki with a grateful smile.

"My father cannot breathe! I heard that you work miracles so I searched and searched for you. And now I found you. Please, come quickly." The boy explained. He had a slight New York accent to his voice that was coated with worry and panic.

Grace's eyes opened wide with worry and she told the boy that she would be out in a moment. She then walked as quick as she could back into the kitchen and grabbed some herbs out of a different cabinet and then opened a closest door a got an old chair that had wheels on it out. She sat in it, placed the herbs in a bowl on her lap, and pushed herself to the front door.

When Loki saw her sitting in the chair on wheels he was taken aback by the sight of her sitting there pushing herself forward by grabbing the small rings that were attached to the wheels and pushing it forward. He had never seen a contraption of the kind ever before. Grace then went out the door with Loki following close behind. The then child ran back to his house with both Grace and Loki following close behind him.

When they reached the house, it was even smaller then Grace's and even more poorly lit. It probably only had two rooms in it. Upon entering, there was a stench in the air that could only be described as gut-retching. There was a small bed by the south wall with a man lying on it who was gasping for air. The man's face was turning blue from lack of oxygen and when he saw Grace he reached for her with both hands. Tears were streaming from his eyes as he struggled for breath.

Grace wheeled over to the small bed and grasped his hand with one of hers and placed the other on the man's chest. Loki and the young child stood in the back by the door and watched as Grace bowed her head for a few moments and mumbled a few words under her breath. Then she lit a match and dropped it in the bowl of herbs that was resting on her lap. Sweet smelling smoke immediately started to emanate from the bowl and she asked the man if he could sit up at all. Loki watched as the man strained his weak arms to sit up and when he collapsed back down onto his back, Grace turned back to Loki and asked if he could come assist the man as he attempted to sit up the second time.

Loki walked over to them and wrapped his arms gently around the man's chest and carefully helped him sit up and lean against the wall. Loki then backed up a few steps and watched as Grace took a white feather out of the bag that was slung over the back of the chair on wheels and started to fan the smoke gently under his nose. She could be heard faintly telling the man to relax and try to take deep breathes.

After a few tense minutes, the man's gasping for breath began to subside to make way for slow deep breaths. "That is it. Just relax and breathe." Grace said gently as she kept fanning the calming smoke onto the man who was previously having difficulty breathing. A grateful smile grew on his tear-stained face as he watched Grace wave the feather over the smoke. She smiled back at him and set the feather on her lap. "Are you feeling better?" Grace asked as she smiled at the man as his son ran into his arms.

He nodded his head and, with an appreciative smile on his face, replied to her, "Yes I am. How can I ever thank you enough?" He turned to Loki who was standing by the door and stretched out his hand for him. "I am ever so grateful for both of you." Loki slowly approached him and took his outstretched hand.

"The only thing you can do to thank us, sir, is for you to live a nice long life with your son. He is a good boy and will be a wonderful man someday. But that will only happen with your guidance." Grace replied to him as he squeezed both of their hands.

Loki looked over at Grace and saw a warm smile on her face as she watched the man breathing well. He felt a smile growing on his face as he watched her refuse any form of payment that she was offered for her services. Loki felt something move inside of him every time he saw her smile. It was something that had not moved in years. It was his heart. He was truly beginning to fall in love with her.

They both got a tight embrace from the father and from the boy and then they left the house and begun to go home. Loki was pushing the chair that Grace was seated in as they walked in silence for a few moments. Loki broke the silence by asking her, "When you bowed your head, it sounded like you said something. May I ask what it was?"

Grace smiled and answered him, "It was an ancient prayer for healing that I learned while I was still very young."

After than response, Loki remained silent for a few more moments. Then he asked cautiously changing the subject, "May I ask if you parents said anything to you when they left you? Like a reason why they did."

Grace thought about it for a few moments then said quietly, "They did not give a reason but my mother whispered in my ear, 'life can be lived, life can be loved alone' before they both left."

"I do not understand." Loki confessed. "What does that mean?"

Grace remained silent for a few moments while she tried to phrase what she was trying to communicate correctly. Loki, however, thought that she was not going to answer so he just continued pushing her wheelchair in silence.

"Alright, Loki. I will make you a deal." Grace began. "I will tell you what I believe my mother meant by that, if you tell me why your parents threw you out of their house."

Loki smiled slightly and agreed to her terms. Grace said, "I will go first. My mother was very fond of the musical Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber. One of the songs is called 'Learn to be Lonely'. It was her favorite song and she would sing it all the time. I believe this song is mainly saying that someone who is different and alienates themselves from the rest of the world will always be lonely because they never let anyone in and know what they are going through." She stopped speaking for a bit as she wiped a tear away from her eyes. "One of the main parts I remember is where it said 'learn to be your one companion'."

Loki stayed silent as he thought over what he had just heard. Could that have been a message from her mother telling her that the only companion that she will ever have is herself? If it was, her mother was wrong. He has no intention of ever leaving Grace's side as long as he was welcomed there.

"Your turn, Loki. Can you tell me why your parents threw you out? Besides the fact that you are like thirty years old and you are still living at your parent's house." Grace said after a few moments with a playful smile on her face.

Loki thought for a few moments and said with a somber note in his voice, "My mother died." That was all that he said.

"Is that it?" Grace said. "I am sorry; I realize that it is terrible that your mother passed on. But is that really the reason you were thrown out?"

"No." Loki said.

"Well, what happened?" Grace asked.

"It is a long story." Loki answered.

"We have time. It is a long walk back to the house." Grace smiled.

"I prefer not to talk about it." Loki responded.

Suddenly, the wheelchair stopped and would not move no matter how hard Loki pushed it. "It is useless trying to continue, Loki. I put the brakes on." Grace said.

"Why would you do that?" He asked. He walked around the wheelchair to look her in the face and he saw a look of both agitation and annoyance was painted on her face as her arms sat crossed across her chest.

"Because we made a deal, Loki. If I told you what my mother meant, you would tell me why your father threw you out of the house." Grace persisted. Her blue eyes set on his green ones and would not let them go.

Loki sat down on a stone wall that surrounded a few flowers and ran his hands over his face and through his hair. Grace wheeled her chair up a bit closer to him and placed her hand tenderly on his knee. She could tell by the despondent look on his face and his slouched posture that this was very hard for him. This could be why he looked so dejected when she saw him in the streets the other day.

Loki started to speak after a few moments. His voice was quiet and hardly audible at first but it gradually grew in volume until he was speaking in a low soft whisper. "I was told by my 'father' once I was already grown that he found me on the floor of a temple area in the frozen air. I was left there to die there by my birth parents. He took me to his home in the hopes that he could use me to bring peace between my people and his. At the time that I was told this, there already was a relative peace so his plans for me no longer mattered. I was of no more use to him than any of his other trinkets that were locked away. " Grace listened intently to what Loki was telling her. There was a considerable amount of concern in her blue eye as she watched his face grow more and more gloomy with each word that came forth from his mouth.

Loki continued speaking with sorrow in his voice, "I retaliated the only way I knew how. With trickery. I convinced my brother that father had died, broke his spirits, and even tried to kill him. Quite a few times to be exact." Loki ran his pale white hands through his coal black hair as he continued speaking with his green eyes downcast and filled with shame. "I cannot quite explain what happened next. I just know that I was treated unjustly. Then I came here." He then looked up at Grace and met her tearing blue gaze with his distressed green eyes. "I think you know what happened next."

Grace took a deep breath and nodded her head. She remembered it all too well. The image of Loki dressed for war with a long green cape, a golden breastplate, and a stately golden helmet with curved horns upon his head flashed into her mind. The sound of screaming and explosions rebounded around inside her memory as she saw his face twisted with rage, the want for revenge, and heart break hidden deep in his eyes. When she looked into his eyes then, he did not even see her even though she stood directly in front of him. His eyes were clouded with blood-lust and rage.

Loki watched as Grace's eyes wandered off as she thought of what had occurred then. His heart ached as he thought of this lovely young woman recognizing him from that time and still choosing to care for him. He wondered if she engendered this feeling of trust and love with everyone she spoke to or was it just him? Strangely, as he watched her pondering over what he had done and felt her touch on his knee never faltering, he was filled with the desire to lean forward and kiss her gently on the lips.

When Grace looked back up at him, Loki saw a single tear running down the left side of her face. Yet there was a loving smile on her face as the tear left a wet streak down her cheek. Her soft pink lips parted then and words like soothing music emanated from her mouth. "That is when you were kicked out?"

"Not quite. I was taken back to the place I was raised and put into prison for about two years. I was there in solitary confinement but my mother would come and visit me. She would also send me books to help me pass the time. Then, we were invaded by the Dark Elves and they killed my mother." Upon hearing this, Grace put her left hand over her mouth in shock and sorrow. "My brother got me out of prison to help him avenge mother, which I did but I tricked him into thinking that I had perished so that I could go back to the house and take my revenge out on the man that raised me."

"Did you kill him?" Grace asked her left hand now over her heart but her right hand remained steadfast on his right knee comfortingly.

"I did not. I just knocked him unconscious, and resumed his place for a few days. But, believe me when I say, I wanted to kill him. He eventually got free, I was sent to prison again, and finally I was banished here. When I look over my actions," Loki paused and gently grasped Grace's hand and gazed tenderly into her eyes. "I do not take any of it back because it steered me down a path that lead to you."

Grace smiled a small grin and squeezed his hand caring and gazed into his green eyes. Her lips parted and she said quietly, "Thank you for telling me. I realize that it was not easy for you to admit." She then pulled him into a tight embrace. As they were hugging, Loki could have sworn that he felt a tear fall onto the back of his neck. When he felt it, he pulled Grace into an even tighter hug and she responded in kind.

They stayed there for a few moments and time seemed to slow down. Grace felt safe in Loki's arms and he felt comforted in hers. Neither of them wanted to move. People passed them and cast accusing glances at them. They did not know who either of them where by name but they knew there was something suspicious about the man.

Suddenly, Grace pulled away and said, "Oh my goodness! We forgot about Beth back at home!"

Back at the house, Beth came home to a silent dark house that had the scent of freshly baked cake in the air. She smiled and casually walked into the kitchen. She figured that she would find Grace there with dinner and a candle lit because she did not like using electricity every night. Loki was probable there as well. In fact she hoped he was. She was growing to like him. But when she rounded the corner into the kitchen, she did not see either Grace or Loki. Instead she saw an empty kitchen with a freshly baked square vanilla cake sitting on the oven.

Beth sat down at the table and looked at the cake with a neutral expression on her face. Grace was not here to prepare dinner. As she sat there, she remembered what it was like on the street all alone. She remembered the feeling of loneliness, desperation, and being rejected by society. That is, until she meet Grace. The moment Grace took her in to her home, an overwhelming feeling of love came over her, the likes of which she had never felt before. A smile formed on her face as she remembered the feeling of sleeping in an actual bed for the first time in her life and no longer having to dig for food in the garbage bins outside of restaurants.

Beth then got up from the table and opened the fridge. If Grace had been called away to help someone, she may be gone for a while so she should find a meal for herself. Might as well get a jump on it. She got a few of the remaining pieces of cheese that Loki had gotten for them and sat at the table and began to eat it.

A half hour later, the back door opened and Loki pushed Grace into the house. Grace was seated in her wheelchair and when they saw Beth sitting at the table a smile grew on both of their faces. Grace had a bowel of ashes on her lap as she was wheeled into the room. Beth instantly knew where they were and what had happened that kept them away for so long. She jumped up from her seat, ran to Grace, and cried, "Is Dan's father alright?"

Grace extended her arms for Beth to run into, "You know that young man?" She asked.

"Yes, he is one of my classmates and I split my lunch with him. He told me once that his father has difficulty breathing at times, so I said to him that the next time that happens, that he should come find you. I hope that is okay?" Beth explained.

A large smile formed on Grace's face as she listened to Beth speak. After she finished, Grace got out of her wheelchair and knelt on the floor as she wrapped Beth in a warm embrace. "Of course it is alright, sweetheart. You saved his father's life today." She whispered in her ear.

They remained in that tight embrace for a few moments. Loki was beginning to feel a bit out of place standing there watching them. When Beth and Grace let each other go, Grace asked, "Did you get something to eat, dear?"

"Yes I did." Beth answered with a smile on her face.

"Is it enough to last you the night?" Grace asked again as she looked into Beth's dark green eyes.

"Yep." Beth replied.

"Do not lie to me, dear." Grace said when she noticed that Beth had not told the truth. "Remember what lying does?"

Beth gazed down at the ground when she realized that she had been caught. "It destroys the trust that other people have in you." She answered as she continued to stare at the floor.

"And once trust is destroyed?" Grace began.

"It is near impossible to get back." Beth finished.

"Very good. Can I have a hug, please?" Grace asked as she opened her arms to embrace Beth once again. Once they separated, Grace asked with raised eyebrows. "Now, may I ask what you ate?"

"I ate a few pieces of cheese." Beth answered still gazing down at the ground.

"Can you please eat something else?" Grace asked. When Beth slowly nodded her head, Grace smiled as she walking into the kitchen. "Would you like me to make you a sandwich?"

"Just a small one, please." Beth answered. As Grace walked farther into the kitchen and opened the fridge, Beth turned to Loki and said forlornly, "She will probably end up making a big one."

"What is wrong a big sandwich?" Loki responded as he looked down into her eyes.

Beth looked up into Loki's questioning green eyes and answered, "Because she will end up giving me all the food that she has in the house, leaving little for herself. You did notice that she is very thin, right? That is because, she does not eat much. She gives me along with anyone else who needs food almost all of the food that we have in the house with us."

Loki looked back up at Grace as she put two ham and cheese sandwiches together with a slight amount of shock in his eyes as he noticed for the first time that she was slightly emaciated. His eyes started to water as he watched her assemble two sandwiches.

Grace then walked/limped over to both Beth and Loki holding two plates with a ham and cheese sandwich on each. A warm and loving smile was on her face when she saw the look of astonishment on Loki's face when she handed one of the plates to him. He was flabbergasted! Grace had given most of the food that he had obtained for her away to others who needed it and now she was giving some of what was left to him!

Grace then said that Beth could go eat her sandwich in bed, so Beth ran off to her room with the plate in her hand. Once she was out of the room, Grace collapsed into her wheel chair. "What is wrong?" Loki asked with worry clear in his voice and plainly written on his face as he placed the plate that she had handed him on the counter and grasped her hand in his.

"I am just exhausted." Grace said. She was out of breath and her eyes were heavy. It was a good thing that Beth had gone to bed; for Grace looked like she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Would you like me to carry you to your room?" Loki asked, already preparing to pick her up and carry her.

Grace smiled and said in response, "That would be very kind of you. Thank you."

Loki then effortlessly and gently picked her up in his arms with his left arm supporting her legs as his right was around her back. When she wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his chest, he felt as his heart skipped a beat or two. As he carried her to her room, she listened to his strong heart beat and smiled as she closed her eyes.

Once they were in Grace's room, Loki set her on her bed, knelt down, took her shoes off, and began to take her brace off when he felt her delicate hand under his cold chin. She gently lifted his face and eyes to meet hers and said, "Thank you for your help today, Loki. With everything. It was more than I could ever hope for."

"Consider it my thank you for everything you did for me these last few days that I have been here." Loki responded quietly with a small grin on his face. He then continued to take her brace off and when that was done; he put it to the side and told Grace, "You should go to sleep. I will see you in the morning." He walked to the door and once he was at the threshold he looked back and saw that Grace was lying in a fetal ball at the edge of her bed already asleep with the covers at the bottom of the bed.

Loki smiled as he, slowly and quietly, walked back into the room. He stopped at the edge of the bed and leaned forward and pulled the sheets over her to keep her warm that night. After the covers were pulled up, he pushed a lock of hair away from her face and tucked it behind her ear. He then leaned down and kissed her on the cheek softly.

A smile grew on Grace's face after he had kissed her, and when Loki saw this he himself could not help but smile. Then he turned to leave the room. Once he was at the threshold, he turned back around and looked back at her and saw that she was still sound asleep. He left the room then and softly pulled the door closed behind him.

Loki walked into the room that he slept in and pulled the covers down on his cot. Thoughts of Grace filled his mind as he lay down and pulled the covers over himself. There was something different about Grace that made him question if the life he had been living up to this point was the correct life. It had to be in some way thought. For it had led him to her.


	3. You're Still You

About a month later, Loki and Grace where walking in the city outskirts. They walked outside in the bright sun and the air had the smell of fresh cut flowers that was being carried across the soft breeze. Grace was wearing a modest purple shirt with a long black and white diagonally stripped skirt that covered her brace. Loki was wearing a pair of old blue jeans and a dark blue t-shirt while he walked at Grace's side as he contemplated taking her hand.

Grace's shoulder length brown hair was hanging loose and was blowing in the gentle breeze as she smiled at everyone that she saw. Even though she was limping, she was the most beautiful person that Loki had ever come in contact with. She knew the terrible things that he had done and yet she was still kind to him. She gave him food, clothing, and even lodging in her own home.

Loki's long greasy black hair did not blow in the breeze as he walked at Grace's side with a downward gaze. Somehow, he did not feel worthy to be around her, let alone walk beside her. So he walked a few steps behind her as they made their way through the congested streets.

Loki was not behind her long before Grace realized that he was following a few steps behind her. So she slowed down slightly and warmly wrapped her left arm around his right arm. Loki looked at her in surprise after she had done this and whispered to her, "You are not ashamed to be seen with me?"

Grace was shocked at his question and replied to him by saying, "Why would I?" She smiled up at him a bright warm loving smile.

They continued to walk in silence for a few moments as Loki contemplated how to respond to her. Suddenly, Grace stopped in her tracks and her heart began to beat wildly. Loki looked at her face and there was a look of surprise and joy in her wide eyed gaze. "What is it, Grace?" He asked after he searched the crowd for a few moments and did not see what had caused her to become so excited.

Grace then looked up into his green eyes and answered quietly, "My parents are up there!" Her voice was filled with enthusiasm as she spoke and it was clear that she held no anger towards her parents for abandoning her. "Let us go see them!"

Grace seemed to receive a new exuberance as she pulled Loki towards her parents with a bright smile on her face. Loki, on the other hand, was very nervous. Would her parents recognize him? Would they accept him as Grace did? Then he thought; would they even recognize their own daughter? Grace had said that it had been around twenty years since they last saw each other.

When they were about ten steps away, Grace slowed down as she realized that they had other children with them. Was it their children, or grandchildren? Either way, it seemed as if they had moved on and had forgotten about her. The smile disappeared from her face as she watched her mother embracing another child with a loving smile upon her face. A tear found its way down her face as she observed the scene in front of her.

Loki watched her and when he saw the tear running down her face, he felt a tinge of rage flare up inside of him. How dare these people cause her grief! Grace was their first born child! His grip tightened exponentially on her hand as he watched the two of them continue about their way. Grace felt his grip tightening and looked up at him and placed her other hand warmly on his arm.

Feeling her touch, Loki looked down at Grace and saw that there was a calm smile on her face as she spoke to him in a soft voice like lavender, "It is only reasonable that they had more children. I just hope they have not forgotten about me entirely."

Grace then let go of his hand and walked slowly up to her parents as they remained oblivious to her presence. Loki observed as Grace spoke, quietly at first, and as her voice grew in strength; her parents turned and looked at her. She said, "I beg your pardon. May I speak with you both for a moment, please?"

When her parents saw her, she received a blank stare for a few moments. Once they recognized Grace, her father developed a stern look in his deep blue eyes as his thin lips pressed together in agitation. Her mother, on the other hand, had the complete opposite reaction. She threw her arms around her daughter as a single tear ran down the right side of her dainty face. Once they parted, Grace and her mother smiled at each other and held each other's hands. "How have you been? You are looking good! I have wanted to come and see you so many times, but your father told me not to." Her mother commented.

"Why?" Grace asked as a hurt look came into her eyes as she looked over at her father.

Her father just stood there rigidly as he answered with contempt clear in his voice, "I do not want my wife associating with a witch. Even if she is our daughter."

Loki, who none of them realized was just a few steps away, interjected then and shouted at Grace's father, "She is not a witch! She is the most loving person that I have ever had the great honor of meeting! She is your daughter! If her mother wants to see her, you should let her!" His voice was filled with rage as he shouted at Grace's father.

"This does not concern you! Who are you anyway?" Her father shouted back as he turned to face Loki. He was about an inch or two shorted then Loki was but that did not deter him in the slightest.

"I am Loki of Jotenhim!" Loki shouted back. "Anything you say against Grace does indeed concern me!" As the two of them shouted at each other, Grace watched Loki's face as it changed from one of agitation to a look of pure hatred. A fire seemed to be ablaze in his green eyes as he argued on her behalf.

"Well, I am Philip of New York!" Her father shouted mockingly. "I do not give a crap what you think! I will not allow my wife to visit her as long as I am living!"

"Your death can be arranged then." Loki responded. His voice was low and threatening as he gripped the rock that he held in his grasp so tightly that his knuckles began to scream in pain. He had grabbed from the ground after Grace had let go of his hand and began to speak to her parents. He raised his hand and a murderous look appeared on his face. Suddenly, Grace stepped between them with her hands raised as she shouted, "That is enough!"

She placed one of her hands on her father's arm and the other on Loki's arm. They both looked down at her and saw an expression of concern in her blue eyes as see as she glanced at both of them in turn. "Loki," She began. "How about we head back to the house now? Mother, I hope to see you sometime soon, you can meet your grand-daughter, Beth." She then turned to her father and said, "I cannot blame you for your reluctance to allow mother to come and see me. I hope that one day; you can forgive us about this and you yourself will come for a visit."

With that being said, Grace took Loki's arm and warmly wrapped her arm around it and left. Loki dropped the stone that was held in his hand and it landed on the ground with a clatter. He then cast a threatening look back at Philip and mouthed the words, 'Until next time, old man.' As they walked, Grace gazed down at the ground with a slight smile on her face as Loki continued to grow angrier and angrier with every passing moment. He was thinking about how her father had insulted her and seemed to be venomous at the mere mention of her name. Then a thought struck him. This was almost exactly like his parents. Only difference is that he was adopted and Grace was not. She also reacted completely differently to her father's contempt than he did.

After a few moments had passed in silence, Loki asked, "Hey, Grace. May I ask you a question?"

Grace looked up at him and smiled as she answered sweetly, "Of course."

"When your father was so cruel to you, why did you act the way that you did? Why were you not hostile towards him?" Loki asked. His voice was soft as he spoke to her and he looked into her expectant blue eyes with a look of admiration.

"Because it is only human nature to fear things that we do not understand. How can I blame him for something that nature has instilled in him? If I acted the same way he did, would that not reinforce in his mind that I am what he believes me to be? It is not like I could make him less harsh by shouting back at him." Grace answered. Her voice was soft and kind as she spoke of her father. Loki wondered if it was even possible that she could value him as much as he treasured her.

Once they reached the house, Grace hurried about the kitchen preparing a meager meal for both Loki and Beth once she returned home from school. As he watched her, he contemplated what she had said to him as they were walking home. It sounded like she had forgiven her parents for abandoning her. How was that possible?

Grace got some chicken out of the fridge and cut it up onto two separate plates as she smiled at the thought of her parents possibly coming to visit her. Loki watched her and for the second time felt the overwhelming desire to walk up to her and kiss her on the lips. What was happening to him? There was something about her that made him want to surrender his will and lye in her comforting arms all day if he could.

Loki's bright green eyes watched Grace's every move as she limped around the kitchen while she gathered other items for her guest and daughter to eat, and she noticed this. She wondered what was going through his mind as he gazed almost unblinkingly at her. To be completely honest, she was beginning to get a bit nervous. All of that faded away the moment he stood and walked up to her and took her hands gently in his.

Loki then raised Graces hands to his lips and kissed them tenderly as he bent over in a slight bow. The moment his lips touched her skin, Grace noticed that her heart stop beating for a brief moment. Then, Loki let go of her hands and headed into the sitting room to lie down on his cot. Grace was left standing in the kitchen gasping for breath as her left hand rested over her heart and her right hand was on the counter to prevent her from falling.

Grace watched as Loki lay down on his cot and closed his eyes. There was something about that kiss he gave her that was both startling and shocking. There was a certain amount of passion in the kiss that Grace thought that no one could ever feel for her. The touch of his soft lips on her skin was still fresh in her mind and she could not shake it.

Then, Beth came walking through the front door and walked directly into the room that Loki was lying in. She saw him resting on his cot with his eyes closed and a peaceful expression on his face. Beth watched him for a moment then pulled a piece of paper out of her back pack and laid it on his chest. She then walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table.

Grace, realizing that Beth was home, asked, "How was your day, dear?"

"It was good. I drew a picture for Loki today!" Beth answered enthusiastically.

Grace echoed her tone of voice when she responded, "You did! Can I see it?" She then brought one of the plates with a sandwich on it and placed it in front of Beth.

"I put it in his room. He will see it when he wakes up." Beth responded.

"I am sure he will love it." Grace replied with a smile on her face as she watched Beth eat the food that was set in front of her.

Meanwhile in the adjacent room, Loki opened his eyes. He was not asleep but rather resting his eyes. He heard the conversation in the kitchen so he sat up to look for Beth's drawing. When he did so, he heard a piece of paper fall to the ground. He looked down and saw a paper with a simple childish drawing on it. He picked it up to examine it closer and when he saw it, a warm smile spread across his face. It was a drawing of him and Grace holding Beth's hand as she stood in the middle of the two. The words 'my family' was written on the top of the page in a child's handwriting and there were names of each person in the drawing written underneath them.

Holding the picture in his hands, Loki entered the kitchen and looked at Beth who, when she saw him, dropped her sandwich onto her plate and ran up to him. When she reached him, she threw her arms around his waist and held him tightly. Loki responded in kind and rubbed her back warmly. Grace watched as the two of them stayed there for a few moments.

Once they separated, Loki knelt down in front of Beth and showed her the picture as he asked, "You really consider me part of your family?"

Beth shyly swayed from side to side as she nodded her head. Loki then pulled her into an even tighter embrace as he fought the tears. He then felt a tingling in his hands and he looked down at them with a smile. He knew what that meant. He pulled out of the hug and said, "I have a small gift for both of you." He lifted his closed, cupped, hands in front of him and when he gradually opened his hands, two flowers on one stem made of green light grew in the palm of his hands. Both Grace and Beth watched in amazement and wonder as the flowers grew and then bloomed into the most beautiful flowers they had ever seen.

The petals slowly turned purple with a slight amount of blue in them and then the whole flower changed into real flowers. Loki then handed one flower to Beth and the other to Grace who took them gratefully. "How did you do that?" Beth asked.

Loki smiled brightly and answered, "A magician never reveals his secrets." He watched as both of them gazed in wonder at the remarkable flower in their hands. He wanted to do more for them, but he could not. Not yet at least.

After a few moments, Grace asked, "Well, would you like to eat your sandwich now, Loki?" She asked as he watched Beth closely examining the flower in her hand.

"Thank you, but I am not hungry. You can have it, Grace." Loki answered as he stood up.

Grace smiled and said, "How about we split it?"

"That works." Loki answered with a smile on his face. They all sat down and ate their dinner in silence. Afterwards, they started to prepare for bed but Loki was not tired so he said that he would go out for a walk and that he would be back by morning. Loki left the house leaving Beth and Grace alone.


	4. Falling Slowly

(All of the chapter titles (save chapters 8 &amp; 9) are titles of songs by Josh Groban.

If you wish to listen to them, they can be found on YouTube or Spotify.)

The next morning, Grace awoke to the sound of birds singing pleasantly outside her window. She was in her room lying on her bed as she remembered the events of the night before. Her forehead creased as she wondered if the flowers made of light was just a figment of her imagination brought on by exhaustion. It had to be, such marvelous things were not possible. It was probably just a regular flower that Loki had given to Beth and herself.

Grace sat up in bed and stretched her arms. A smile grew on her face when she remembered all that Loki had done for them yesterday. Whether the flowers were made of light or not, he had given them the most beautiful gift one could ever imagine: a reason to smile.

Grace looked around her and saw a small dark room with the light of the morning sun flowing in through one petite window on the north wall and few decorations that adorned the wall, including a quote that she dearly loved. It was a quote from Mother Teresa, and it said; 'The most terrible poverty is loneliness and the feeling of being unloved.' It was in a simple wooden frame that was hanging above her door-frame. The light gently streamed into the room through the window in soft rays of light. Her cheerful blue eyes landed on an object that was lying on her bedside table and her breath caught in her throat. It was a flower. Not just a flower, but the flower that Loki had formed in light last night.

She reached over and softly picked it up. As Grace examined it she noticed that it was iridescent. It was purple with hints of blue in it but as she turned it in the sunlight it shimmered slightly with the same green light that Loki used to fashion the flower in his hands.

At that moment, Grace smelled smoke coming in over her closed door. She threw the covers off and followed the smoke to the kitchen where she saw Loki cursing under his breath as he waved the smoke out the open window with the palms of his hands. Grace smiled, shook her head, and grabbed a towel out of the drawer. She then stumbled over to him and helped him wave the air out of the open window above the sink.

"Sorry to wake you." Loki confessed as he grabbed a towel as well. "I just wanted to make you something to eat when you awoke."

Grace smiled and responded, "You did not wake me. I was already awake." The smoke had diminished then and both Grace and Loki set the towels on the counter by the sink. "It is the thought that counts." Grace then opened the oven door and pulled out a burnt dry piece of food that was almost unrecognizable. It looked like shrived up pieces of blackened bread but one could never be sure.

Loki looked at the food that was on the pan and winced. "I was trying to make some toast for you."

Grace giggled and looked into Loki's green eyes and said, "Toast is made in the toaster. Not the oven."

Loki smiled and responded by saying, "Now I know."

"I am curious, have you ever cooked before?" Grace asked as she leaned against the counter with a bright smile and a twinkle in her blue eyes.

"Before I came here?" Loki asked. Grace nodded her head and grinned as she waited for an answer. "No. No I did not. We had someone cook for us."

"Wow. That is nice. I guess that explains where all that food came from last month." She giggled once again. Grace looked down at the ground and then back up at Loki. When she looked back up there was an expression in her eyes that Loki had never seen on her face before. It was fear. It was strange seeing this look in her usual jovial eyes. It was painted all over her face as well.

At that moment, Grace's legs gave out under her and Loki caught her before she could hit the ground. He then picked her up and carried her over to a cot in the sitting room. Once he placed her down, he knelt down beside her and asked, "What happened?" Concern was clear in his voice as his forehead was creased with anxiety.

"Do not panic, Loki." Grace said with a weak smile. It was apparent in her voice that she herself was gasping for breath and her whole thin delicate frame was shaking which was becoming increasingly violent with every passing moment. "This happens about once a month." Her whole body stiffened and her back arched as Loki ran to the kitchen and searched for the herbs that she used to help the man breathe the other night.

Not finding them, Loki grabbed the only ones that he could find and ran back to Grace's side. His voice was trembling when he spoke with urgency, "I am not sure if these are the correct herbs. What do I do?"

"Just hold my hand please." Grace held out a shaky hand for him and as Loki took it he tenderly closed his fingers around her hand. Immediately afterwards, her trembling grew worse. Her body stiffed and went limb several times. Her fame shuddered in between these moments, but all throughout this, Loki's grip around her hand never wavered.

Loki could feel her heart beat upon several occasions and it both quickened and slowed dangerously as Grace's hand clutched his tightly. His eyes began to cloud with tears on several occasions as he looked upon her pain racked face. There were tears streaming down her face as it twisted and contorted in pain while a combination of cold and hot sweat poured out of her brow. He wished that he could take this agony away from her and inflict it upon himself. She did not deserve to have this imposed upon her.

After about a half hour had passed in this very fashion, Grace relaxed and her breathing normalized. She looked over at Loki who was still kneeling at her side gripping her hand tightly with both of his. She saw that his head was bowed as if he was praying. Grace placed her other hand gently on his head and when he looked up at her, he saw her smiling warmly at him.

Loki smiled and wrapped Grace in a warm relieved hug. The embrace lasted a few minutes and when Loki pulled away he looked into her blue eyes and asked, "What was that? I have never seen anything of the sort in my life. In truth," he paused and took a breath, "it frightened me. I thought I was going to lose you."

Grace sat up and said lightheartedly, "You will not get rid of me that easily." The smile on her face was so comforting and loving that Loki's worries vanished. She added, "I am not sure what that was. But I am glad you were here. Last month, I was all alone on the kitchen floor." She ran a hand through his long coal black hair as she spoke. "Since I had my brace on at the time, my leg got all ripped up. That was the day I found you."

"Really? I am glad I was here this time then." Loki smiled.

Grace giggled. "You know, Loki. If you had not burnt that toast I would have had my little monthly episode in my room all alone." She smiled.

Loki smiled and kissed her hand tenderly, which he was still holding onto tightly yet fondly. He looked up at her and asked, "Do you know on what day it is going to happen?'

The smile disappeared from her face as she replied with a rather somber note in her voice, "No. It is random. It can happen at any time during the month and I only know a few moments prier, as you most likely saw."

Loki nodded his head and looked into her grateful blue eyes said to her, "You know what, I will walk Beth to school today. You just rest."

Grace smiled and said, "I will take you up on that offer. Do you know how to get there?"

Loki shook his head slowly and answered, "No, but Beth can show me the way."

Grace smiled and replied, "How will you get back?"

"I learn quickly." Loki responded warmly.

Grace laughed lightly and ran her hands through her hair and pulled it up. At that moment, Beth came into the room dressed for school with her books under her arm and a smile on her face. The smile vanished as soon as she saw Grace on the cot and she dropped her books which landed with a clatter onto the floor as she ran to Grace's side.

"Is everything alright, Grace?" Beth asked desperately. Loki stood so Beth could stand at Grace's side and grasp her hand. Grace smiled when the child's hand was wrapped in her own.

"Yes, dear. Everything is alright. Just a little fall, nothing to worry about." Grace said with a smile on her face. "Loki would like to walk you to school today. Is that alright with you?"

Beth look from Grace to Loki and then back again, "Of course." She then stood up and walked into the kitchen to grab her lunch bag. She then came back into the room and picked up her books. She then looked at Loki and said, "Well, can we go now? I do not want to be late." Loki looked at Grace and smiled. He then began to walk out the front door hand in hand with Beth.

The sun was just beginning to rise when both Beth and Loki exited the house and began the long walk to the school. "Do you really have to get up this early?" Loki asked as he looked down at the young girl who was holding his hand.

"Yes I do. The school system stinks. Grace did not finish school and she seems to be doing fine." Beth answered. She started kicking a stone along in front of her as they walked.

"Yes she seems to be." Loki said quietly as the memory of Grace shaking on the cot came back to him. He saw the look of pain in her eyes as if they were right in front on him. He wondered what was wrong that it would happen once a month. Was it life threatening?

"Loki. May I ask you a question?" Beth asked shyly.

Loki looked down at her and smiled. "Of course you can."

"Are you going to stay with Grace and me forever?" Beth asked as she looked down at the ground sheepishly.

"Do you want me to?" Loki asked. A small smile began to grow on his face. But he tried to hide it from the youth whom he was walking with.

Beth looked up into his bright green eyes and said, "It would be nice. That way, Grace can stay home and rest more often and you can walk me to school."

Loki stopped her and squatted down in front of her so he could look into her eyes as he asked, "What makes you think Grace needs more rest?" He searched her dark green eyes for an answer. He was curious if she knew something about what happened this morning.

"Because she is on call for whenever someone needs her special skills. I know that can be tiring at times. Why? Is something else going on?" Beth answered with worry in her eyes.

Loki did not want to panic her so he smiled and, changing the subject, said, "I think I know something that will help her feel better."

Beth smiled excitedly. "What is it?"

As Loki whispered his idea in her ear, a large joy filled grin grew on her face as Beth heard his plan. After he pulled away, Loki asked, "What do you think?"

"I love it!" Beth exclaimed.

"You cannot say anything to anyone about it though. Deal?" Loki said with a smile on his face as he watched Beth dance around excitedly in front of him.

"Deal." Beth said happily as she continued to dance around as they walked to the school.

Once they were at the school, a young boy ran up to Beth and they both embraced. Loki recognized him and asked, "Young man, how is your father lately?"

The boy looked at him and a large smile grew on his face as soon as he saw him. He ran up to Loki and threw his arms around him as he confessed, "I was worried that I would never see you again so that I can thank you. He is much better."

Loki leaned over and rubbed his back warmly. He saw Beth smiling as her friend hugged him and he rubbed his back.

The embrace lasted only a few moments for a teacher called to the students and he released Loki and both he and Beth ran into the school. Loki just stood there smiling as he watched the two of them disappear as they ran into the building.

As Loki walked back to the house he thought about Grace. What was it with her that made him behave the way he was? Was it the feeling of being loved that she gave him? Or was it that she was in an unimaginable amount of pain every day and yet she still helps others? Was it possible that it was all of these reasons put together? Or was it something more?

People that he passed recognized him and began to follow him, yet Loki was too lost in thought to realize that he was being pursued. That is until one of them shouted at him. When he turned around he was shocked to find about ten people behind him all with angry expressions on their faces. He just stood there and looked at them for a few moments then he asked calmly, "Can I help you with something?" He crossed his arms behind his back as he spoke to them.

One man with dirty blonde hair and deep blue eyes stepped forward out of the crowd and asked, "Are you the one who invaded the city a few years ago?" His voice was deep and filled with anger as he spoke. Loki could see that as he spoke he was reaching for a gun that he had hidden in his jacket pocket.

"If I am, what does that matter?" Loki answered with his voice hard and cold. His hands were folded behind his back as he fixed them with a stern look. A cruel smile grew on his face as he watched them all shudder under his gaze. He forgot how good it felt when people were afraid of him.

A voice in the back of the crowd called, "That is him. I know it is." It was a female voice. Loki thought he recognized it but he could not be certain. Someone pushed their way to the front of the crowd and there stood a woman with brown hair and light hazel eyes. It was Jane Foster, his brother's woman. "What are you doing here, Loki?" She asked coldly as she crossed her arms in front of her chest as her usual soft face hardened.

"What are you doing here?" Loki echoed back. "Are you not supposed to be in New Mexico or up in Asgard with Thor? Or are things not going well between you two?" He had a hint of ridicule in his voice as he spoke to her with a malicious smile on his face. Yet, there was something different in his voice that only he noticed.

"None of your business!" Jane snapped. Her eyes grew harsh as she shouted at him.

Loki chuckled menacingly at the effect his taunting had caused. He then heard someone call his name from behind and he hoped that it was just his imagination. It sounded like Grace's voice. He turned around slowly and indeed it was Grace. She was out of the house and standing directly behind him with a confused expression on her face.

"Grace, go home now. This man is dangerous." Jane called to her.

Grace was confused, "Why do you say that?"

"Do you not know what he did?" Jane shouted to her. She continued to insist that Grace go home but she kept protesting.

"Yes, I do know. I was there. I saw him. I know he made mistakes, but who here has not. We all have. Not all to the same degree, but still." Grace protested. "It is true that he killed people, but I believe that he has served his time. He told me that he was put in prison."

"He could have lied to you. He is a master of lies." Jane persisted.

Grace shook her head gently and said, "I can tell when someone is lying to me, and he was not."

"Grace, go home! Please." Jane said.

Grace did not go home; instead she just took a few steps forward and took Loki's hand tightly in hers. "If you are going to harm him, you will have to harm me as well. For I am not going leave him."

Loki felt the final wall around his heart come crashing down when heard those words come out of her mouth in conjunction with the warmth and tenderness of her touch. He looked over at her and let go of her hand and gently pushed her behind him as he stepped in front of her. "No, Grace. I will not allow you to stand up for me any longer. I deserve everything that is coming to me. I have run away from this long enough. Please go. I do not wish for you to see this."

Jane and the crowd were confused by Loki's act of courtesy. From what they heard, Loki was selfish and could care less about anyone. But he appeared to be the exact opposite of what they expected. He seemed almost noble, at least when was around Grace he did. Maybe there was something in Grace's presence that brought out the best in him.

Loki then turned back to the crowd, opened his arms, and said, "I am truly sorry for all that I have done to you. You deserve to have your revenge. Do what you feel is necessary." He then bowed his head and waited for his punishment that would surely come. But none did. He raised his head slightly and saw only one person standing there in front of him. It was Jane. "Where did everyone go?" he asked as he raised his head.

"Well, they all left." Jane answered.

Loki lowered his arms and turned around and saw Grace sitting on the ground behind him hugging her knees to her chest and there was a soft sobbing sound emanating from her mouth. Loki knelt down and gently placed his hand on her quivering shoulder. When she felt his touch she lifted her head and looked over her shoulder. When she did, she saw a warm and loving smile upon Loki's pale face.

Grace wrapped her arms around Loki's neck and warm tears of joy fell on his back. A bright smile formed on his face as he wrapped her in a tight embrace and spun her around as she laughed with relief. Jane watched this spectacle in wonder. Had she known that her friend would have this effect on him, she would have suggested it to Thor long ago. She was not even aware that they even knew about Grace and her gifts. But, someone must have figured it out because here he stood.

When Loki put her down, Grace turned to Jane and asked, "What brings you to New York, Jane?"

"My bi-monthly visit to see you brings me here." Jane answered.

Grace put her hand on her forehead in distress and said, "Is it that time already?"

Jane took a cautious step forward. She was still unsure about Loki. She watched him as she answered her friend's inquiry and approached. "Yes it is, Grace." Jane replied. Loki knew that she was nervous, so he let go of Graces hand and took a step back.

Grace smiled and offered her hand to her friend, "Let's go then. Beth will love to see you."

Jane, never taking her eyes off of Loki, stepped forward and took her friends hand as she said, "I completely forgot about Beth. How has she been? Is she adjusting well?"

"It took her a few days to adjust to living in a house with real food. But she is doing much better now. She especially appreciates Loki being with us." Grace responded as the two of them started to walk back to the house with Loki following a few steps behind them.

Jane cautiously asked, "How long has Loki been with you two?" She glared at Loki as she spoke almost as if she was warning him of some impending danger that would surely come to him if he harmed Grace in anyway.

"Let me think for a minute." Grace answered with her voice as sweet as ever. "It has probably been about a month and a half since he arrived."

"How much does he know?" Jane asked quietly.

"Enough." Grace answered with a hint of sternness in her voice. Jane quickly dropped the subject and they spoke of other things. As they walked, Loki listened to the two of them talk and found it hard to breath at times when Grace spoke in her soft sweet voice and it seemed to have a slight musical quality to it. The melody in her speech seemed to grow all the more lovely the more he listened to her speak.

They eventually reached the house and Grace immediately headed into the kitchen and started to put a small platter of food together. Loki was by her side in a matter of moments and took her hands in his and said something to her softly that Jane could not hear. In response, Grace grinned and put her hand on the side of his face and looking into his eyes, thanked him, and went to join Jane in the sitting room.

When they were both in the small cramped sitting room, Jane asked Grace, "What did you do?"

Grace was confused. "I am sorry; I do not understand. What exactly do you mean?"

Jane looked back into the kitchen and saw Loki bustling around finding foods that was already prepared to bring in to the ladies. Jane spoke in a hushed voice as she responded to her friend's inquiry. "How did you get Loki to act the way he is? The last I saw him," She paused as the memory of him invading New York, 'sacrificing' himself for Thor, and the events that inevitably followed flooded her mind. She looked into the kitchen and saw that he was putting a plate of crackers and cheeses together.

When Jane looked back at Grace she saw her friend waiting patiently for her to finish her statement. "He was drastically different the last time I saw him." That was all that Jane could think of to describe this dramatic change in Loki's character. "How did you do it?"

Grace smiled and answered, "I did not do anything different than usual. But," She looked over her shoulder and into the kitchen. She saw Loki still rushing around trying to locate things to bring in. She had to stifle a laugh when she saw him put a few pieces of raw ham on the plate. "There is something about him that makes me feel safe. Like I can tell him everything and he will completely understand."

She looked back over at Jane and saw a confused look on her face. Grace continued speaking with the hopes that Jane would understand. "Before I met him, I felt alone, even though I have Beth with me. It was a different kind of lonesomeness." A smile grew on Grace's face as she spoke of Loki. Not just the usual smile that is on her face, but the most beautiful radiant smile that Jane had ever seen. "I cannot quite explain it but, I feel comfortable around him, like I do not need to pretend to be anything that I am not while he is around. I know it sounds completely insane since I have only known him for a little over a month but," She paused here for a long moment. "I think I am falling in love with him."

Jane smiled at her friend and replied to her, "Your heart is far too trusting. I do not want to see you get hurt." She leaned forward and placed her hand on Grace's arm.

Grace smiled and responded to her friend by saying, "I appreciate your concern. But, is not pain a part of love?"

"You are correct, Grace. You know physical pain better than I do but this is different. I am talking about mental and emotional pain. It can be crippling." Jane responded.

"You think I do not know that? I use to feel that every single day after my parents left me here! I felt the stares of the people around me and I just wanted to stay inside the house all day! It took me close to a year to muster the courage to come out." Grace almost shouted at Jane. There was a certain amount of rage in her voice that made all of the other occupants in the house jump. She immediately apologized for speaking harshly and asked for forgiveness.

Jane smiled and patted her on the back. "You do not need to ask forgiveness, I need to be reminded every now and again what you had to endure in your life."

At that moment, Loki came in the room with a plate of crackers, cheeses, and raw ham. He placed it in between them and asked if they would like a drink or anything else. When they declined, he gracefully bowed out of the room and left the two friends to talk.

Loki then exited the front door and leaned against the exterior wall to the right of the door. He saw a figure in the distance walking up to the house and he recognized it as Beth. A smile spread across his face when he saw that she had begun to run up to him with her arms spread wide. He knelt down and spread his arms out wide for her. She ran into his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck lovingly.

"How was school today?" Loki asked her after they separated.

"It went alright." Beth replied. "Hey, Loki?"

"Yes?" He responded.

"Why are you outside?" Beth asked curiously.

"I thought Grace may want some privacy. A friend of hers came to visit. You may remember her. Her name is Jane Foster." Loki answered.

A large smile grew on Beth's face as she listened and replied, "Of course I remember her. She is very nice. Did you meet her?"

"Yes. I did. She does not like me very much." Loki smiled.

"She does not really know you." Beth answered with a smile. She could see the sorrow behind his smile, so she leaned up against the wall beside him, looked up at him, and smiled. "Do you mind if I stay with you?" She asked.

Loki smiled, knelt down, and replied to her, "No, I do not. But, I am sure that Jane would love to see you. Go on in there."

"Alright!" Beth smiled and gave him a quick hug then ran inside the house.

Loki just stood outside and watched as the sky grew darker and the stars began to shine through the veil that was beginning to fall over the sky. He could faintly hear them talking inside so he walked further into the night.


	5. The Mystery of Your Gift

Grace was wearing a long glamorous green and gold gown with a green pendent gemstone necklace around her neck and her brown hair was pulled up in a very fashionable way with a few delicate golden chains strewn about in her hair. Her blue eyes glimmered with excitement as she gazed into the green eyes of her dance partner. He wore a black and gold top with black leather pants as well as knee high leather boots. His long coal black hair was lying gracefully on his shoulders as they waltzed about the room.

Grace's dance partner was none other than Loki. Time seemed to move in slow motion as the two of them swayed and turned gracefully to the music that was playing softly in the distance. There was a violin, a flute, and a few other instruments that she had never heard before. The music itself was hypnotic, yet she herself hardly even noticed. Her eyes were locked on Loki who held her gently in his arms.

They were in a large golden hall that had about twenty other pairs of people dancing to the music. The ceilings were much higher than any that Grace had ever seen and there were several large columns strewn about that seemed to be made out of solid gold. There was a long bright red carpet on the floor that led up to a clearing in the room that housed a few steps which held a massive golden throne at the top.

The two of them elegantly twirled throughout the room expertly navigating through the crowd of people who were in the room with them. Their eyes were locked on each other as the song altered. They effortlessly changed their dance to match the tune of the song that was now being played by the Asgardian musicians.

Grace and Loki continued to dance while holding each other in their arms lost in the other person's eyes. Could things get any better? They were, however, unaware that two men in armor had begun to approach them. Once the men reached them, they both put one of their hands on Loki's shoulders firmly and pulled him out of Grace's arms.

With a cry of frustration, Loki was led away from Grace who stood there with her arms outstretched and the grandeur of the hall and was thrown into the dungeons. Unlike the usual clean white prisons that he was normally thrust into, this one was cold and dark. It was almost like a cave that was deep under the ground far from the others.

The next thing Loki knew was that he was chained up and he had a collar around his neck that had a chain attached to it that was shackled to the wall. Then there were two creatures in the room with him. One was holding a burning torch and the other held a blade in its grasp.

Loki then noticed that his hands where above him shackled to the ceiling and his bare chest was exposed. The blade was being brought closer and closer to his already bloodied and scared torso. A blood curling scream escaped his lips when the blade cut into his upper body and fresh blood poured out onto his white skin. The blade was quickly followed by the flame being thrust on him. A cry emanated from his mouth when the flame came in contact with his chest and a searing pain shot through his body. It followed in this fashion for at least ten minutes which seemed like an eternity.

Meanwhile back at the house, Grace was awakened from her slumber by the sound of someone screaming in agony at the top of their lungs. She bolted upright with her blue eyes wide and alert. Then came another scream, this one was even more distressed then the last. It was coming from the room that Loki was in.

Grace quickly got out of bed and raced to the sitting room forgetting to put her brace on. When she entered the room, she saw Loki tossing and turning in his sleep. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were screwed shut. There was cold sweat running down his face as he groaned and shifted uncomfortable in his sleep. As Grace limped to his side another agonized scream sprang from his lips.

Once she reached his side, Grace knelt down and grasped his hand. It was boiling, trembling, and griped hers tightly. Grace then placed her other hand on his forehead and felt that it was burning up as well. She thought about going to the kitchen so she could grab a bowl of cold water and a towel to cool his brow down but she did not want leave his side.

So, Grace remained by Loki's side and kept her cool hand on his forehead. She closed her eyes and bowed her head much like she did with that man who could not breathe. Loki began to relax the moment that Grace touched his brow and bowed her head. A long relieved sigh escaped her lips when she saw his muscles ease and his face was no longer contorted with pain. His grip on her hand loosened then and she let it go. Grace took his arm and folded it onto his chest.

Grace stayed by his side for a few more minutes with her hand on his brow and then headed back to her room. She lay back down on her bed and wondered what Loki was dreaming about that could have caused him to scream and tremble the way he was. He seemed so strong. Perhaps there was something that he has not told her about. She laid in bed wide awake with her mind running a million miles an hour wondering what could have been happening in his dream to cause him to cry so. He had been at her house for little over a month and this was the first time this had occurred.

The next morning, Loki awoke with a full memory of his dream yet he was unaware that he awakened Grace by screaming in agony. In fact, he was not even aware that he had cried out last night. He was just relieved that it was just a dream. When he came into the kitchen he found both Grace and Beth standing by the fridge searching for something to eat. When Beth looked over and saw Loki standing at the threshold of the room, she ran over to him and embraced him tightly.

Loki detected a hint of worry and relief in Grace's face when she looked over and saw him. "What is going on?" He asked out of curiosity as he returned Beth's hug.

"You were screaming last night." Beth answered, her arms remained tightly wound around his legs.

Loki smiled in disbelief. "There is no way. I would remember if that happened."

"I came out to make sure you were alright. You were asleep at the time that you were shouting, Loki." Grace said. The smile disappeared from Loki's face when he saw the look of concern that was painted on her face. Her bright blue eyes appeared to be on the brink of tears the longer he remained silent.

Loki walked over to Grace and placed his hands warmly on her arms. He looked into her worried blue eyes and whispered tenderly, "I was just having a nightmare. Everything is alright now."

"It is probably none of my business, but what was it about?" Grace asked. Her eyes were filled with concern and care as they searched his for an answer.

Loki pulled her into a tight warm embrace and whispered into her ear, "I was being tortured. My captures were alternating between burning me with fire and slashing my chest with a blade. I was imprisoned far below ground so no one could hear my screams."

Grace pulled him in even closer as she heard Loki recount the terrors that he had endured that night. A single tear found its way out of her left eye and landed on his chest. Her heart felt as if it was about to break when he told her of being dragged into the dungeon.

Beth was sitting at the kitchen table watching them embrace and heard Loki whispering indistinctly to Grace and figured that it was something that was for her ears only. She watched as Grace began to weep lightly and silently onto Loki's shoulder.

Eventually, Loki pulled out of the hug and said to Grace in a soft voice that was loud enough for Beth to hear as well. "The best part of the dream was near the end of it. You came into my cell and tended to my wounds. Your touch was soothing against my burning skin. Then you set me free."

"That could be because when Grace came out to see you last night, she stayed by your side, held your hand, and stroked your forehead for about two hours." Beth interjected.

"Really?" Loki asked as he looked at Beth in surprise.

Beth nodded. When Loki looked back a Grace, she looked down at the ground. Loki gently placed his hand under her chin and raised her face slowly until his green eyes were in clear view of her bright blue eyes. "Thank you." He whispered tenderly.

"No problem." Grace answered with a smile. She then pulled away and began to cook some breakfast. But she was not fast enough for Loki not to see her cheeks begin to flush. He smiled and turned to the table but froze in his place. Standing right there beside the table was Thor. Still wearing his royal garments and his silver breastplate but without his cape, he was leaning up against the wall. Loki, forgetting that Beth was sitting right there at the kitchen table, raised his arms and mouthed the words, _'What are you doing here?'_

Beth was confused and looked to her left. There she saw a tall man with long blonde hair and strong muscular arms that were covered in armor. He also had a scruffy beard and blue eyes. Startled, she jumped up from her seat and ran to Grace and clung to her legs. Smiling, Grace looked down at the child who was clinging to her legs and saw that she was hiding from someone standing in the doorway.

Grace looked up with a smile on her face and her bright blue eyes landed on the figure in the threshold to the room that frightened Beth. "You must be Thor." She said with a warm smile on her face. As she turned back to her cooking she added, "It is nice to finally meet you; I have heard a lot about you."

Both Loki and Thor looked at her in surprise. "You have heard of me then?" Thor asked. His deep voice layered with both shock and confusion as he took a step closer to her. "What has my brother here told you?" He then shot an accusing glance at Loki.

Grace cocked her head slightly in confusion as she thought about what Thor had told her. She raised her head and said, "Forgive me but you and Loki do not look anything alike."

Thor smiled and replied, "He is adopted."

"Oh, well I think it is sweet that you call him brother instead of step-brother." Grace responded with a smile as she turned back to cooking. "As for your question, Loki told me very little about you. I learned most of it from Dr. Foster."

"How do you know Jane?" Thor asked quizzically.

"We have been good friends since childhood. She comes to visit me for about a week a few times every year. In fact she is in New York visiting now. If you stay a while, you will be here when she gets in from her hotel." Grace answered looking up from her cooking every now and again. "In the meantime, would you like something to eat?"

Thor looked over at Loki in shock who just grinned slightly back at him. This mortal was going to give all of her food away. That is, if she had not done so already.

"No, but thank you. I ate before I came to visit." Thor smiled.

"Alright. Let me know if you get hungry though, I can make you a sandwich or something." Grace responded as she smiled back at him with her blue eyes shimmering.

Thor then turned to Loki and said to him, "She is lovely." He chuckled under his breath and Loki saw that Beth was watching them with a shy smile on her face.

Loki said to Thor, "There is someone else I would like you to meet, brother." He then squatted down and called Beth over to him with a warm reassuring smile on his face. Seeing this, Beth raced across the short distance into his outstretched arms. Loki picked her up in his arms and turned to Thor and said, "Thor, this is Beth. She is one of the three most important women in my life."

"Well, it is a pleasure to meet you Beth." Thor said with a smile. He put forth his hand and Beth offered hers because she thought he just wanted to shake her hand. But instead, he kissed the top of it. Beth blushed and hid her face on Loki's shoulder shyly as he and Thor watched her reaction with a smile on their faces.

Grace was both listening to all that was occurring and occasionally she would look up and watch. She saw Thor kiss Beth's hand and her hide her face in Loki's hair in response. She watched as Loki interacted with Beth more then he realized that she did. She loved watching them together. Two orphans, separated by about twenty years, yet they got alone so well. She found herself smiling often as she watched the two of them together. Beth trusted him. She trusted him as well. In fact, she would even go as far as to say, she loved him.

At that moment, the front door opened and Jane called out, "Grace, I am here. Where are you at?"

"We are in here." Grace replied without even looking up from her cooking. After a few moments, Jane was at the threshold looking in. Her jaw dropped when she saw both Loki and Thor in the kitchen and Beth seated on Loki's lap as he sat at the table. "It would seem that I have a full house today." Grace said.

"I agree." Jane replied. She then looked over at Thor and said to him, "Why are you here?"

Thor looked up at her and answered, "I came to see my brother. Heimdall tells me that he has changed a great deal, and I wanted to see if these reports were indeed true."

Jane then turned to Loki who was sitting at the table handing food to Beth who was seated on his lap. He was smiling peacefully as he watched her eating the slice of bread that he had handed to her. Jane watched in disbelief as Loki set Beth down and walked over to Grace and voluntarily offered to help her prepare breakfast.

Grace smiled and accepted Loki's offer. She asked him if he could retrieve four plates out of the cupboard and when he returned with them, Grace put a single small pancake on each plate. She then put a bit of butter on each of them. Loki then took the plates over to the table and set them in front of the guests at the house first then he set down the others. He then grabbed silverware for each person and sat them down beside the plates.

Loki smiled and asked what everyone would like to drink. He then went and retrieved those drinks from the refrigerator and set them down in front of the person who requested that drink. Loki then sat down and cut his pancake in half and put half of it on the plate in front of Beth. She looked up at him and he just looked at her and winked as he put his pointer finger to his lips as if to say, 'Do not say anything.'

In response, Beth smiled and cut up both of the pancakes and ate them in silence as the adults spoke.

Thor was protesting the fact that they did not keep any of the ale that they received and Grace came over to the table and stood because there were no chairs left. She just stood and sipped a glass of water as she spoke to him, "I have a growing child in my house; I do not want her drinking some by accident. The effects could be dreadful. "

"That makes sense." Thor agreed as he cut the pancake that was in front of him and placed a large bite in his mouth.

Jane watched the exchanges that were made at the table and could scarcely believe her eyes and ears as she watched Loki stand up and offer his seat to Grace. When she accepted his offer, he smiled and took her hand and helped her into her seat. She looked over at Thor and saw that he too was watching with a confused awed expression on his face as Loki gathered the empty plates that were on the table and set them in the sink.

A large joyous smile spread across Loki's face every time Grace spoke. Both Jane and Thor were utterly dumbfounded when Loki came back to the table and leaned against the wall with a peaceful expression on his pale face as he watched everyone conversing with each other. Grace continued to speak to her guests and Loki closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the wall with a small contented smile on his face as he listened to her voice.

Once they were all done with the meal, Jane suggested to Grace that Beth go over to a friend's house to play while the adults spoke. Grace relayed the message and after Beth ran off to Liza's house, they all sat down in the sitting room. Jane and Thor were seated side by side as well as Loki was sitting beside Grace as he gazed uneasily at his brother who had come by unexpectedly.

Grace could tell that he was slightly uncomfortable so she took his hand and leaned over as she whispered in his ear sweetly, "There is no need to be nervous, Loki. We are all friends here." In response, he intertwined his fingers with hers as he squeezed her hand warmly.

After a few awkward moments of tense stillness, Jane was the one to break the silence by asking tentatively, "So Loki, whose idea was it to send you here to see Grace?"

Loki began to answer uncertainly at first, but Grace's grip on his hand seemed to give him courage to speak. "I do not believe it was planned that I meet her. That just happened by chance. I am very grateful that it did though." He looked over at Grace and squeezed her hand tenderly. She grinned and looked down at the floor as Loki gazed at her oblivious of the fact that both Jane and Thor were watching him in wonder.

"So," Thor broke in after a few moments of quiet. Loki was called out of his trance by his brother's voice. When he looked over at his brother there was a content smile on his face. "How did you two meet if it was not planned?"

Grace was the one that answered. She said, "I found him on the street and I brought him in. I saw that he needed help."

Loki smiled and shook his head slightly. "It was more like, you saw a crowd of people beating me to death. You got them off of me and then you brought me in. You saved my life." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder warmly.

Grace giggled slightly and responded by saying, "They would have gotten bored eventually."

They all conversed for a few moments and then Grace sprang up from her seat. She limped over to the window in the sitting room. It was pouring ran outside. Both thunder and lightning crashed through the air threateningly as she gazed outside.

Loki stood up and walked over to her side and asked, "Is everything alright, Grace?"

Grace looked into his green eyes and Loki saw that panic was written plainly all over her face. "Beth is outside. I am not even sure where Liza lives. I must go find her." Grace said as she grabbed a coat out of the closet and headed for the door.

Loki intercepted her at the door and said firmly, "No, you stay here with Jane. I will go search for her. Thor, will you join me, please?" He asked as he looked back at his brother who had gotten up from his seat and followed them to the door.

Thor just nodded his head in response and followed Loki out the door. Grace went back into the sitting room and sat on the cot that was across from Jane. She got up from her seat and sat next to Grace and wrapping her arm around her shoulders comfortingly and said, "Do not worry, they will find her."

"I do not think I will ever forgive myself if something happens to her." Grace said with worry coating her voice.

"No. It was my idea to send her outside. Blame me." Jane protested.

"I agreed with it though. So I will be responsible." Grace insisted as tears began to roll down her face.

Out in the storm, both Loki and Thor searched for Beth though the blinding sheets of rain that fell from the sky. They called her name but received no answer. They both walked together for a few minutes until they decided to split up and go search in different directions.

The wind was blowing strongly in his face as Loki continued to search and call out for Beth desperately. He was becoming drenched as he struggled against the wind and the rain. It was the most rain he had ever seen in his life but all he was worried about was finding Beth and what condition she would be in when she was found.

Loki continued to shout her name as loudly as he could but the wind seemed to snatch the sounds that came out of his throat and throw them back in his face. But he continued to struggle on through the cold rain that seeped through his clothes and freeze his skin nonetheless. He could not bear the thought of losing Beth.

Loki was beginning to give up hope of ever finding her so he decided to stop walking and shout her name one last time before he headed off to search in a different direction. When he called out this time, he heard a voice crying faintly back to him. It sounded weak and in distress as it yelled his name. He rushed towards the sound and called again as he ran. His heart beat rapidly in his chest as he heard the voice call back to him, this time it was louder than before. He was getting closer.

Then, Loki saw a faint outline of a person in the distance. It was lying under an awning from a store or some other kind of building. He called out for Beth and she responded. That was her under the awning directly in front of him. "Stay there! I am coming to get you!" He shouted at the top of his lungs with a relieved smile forming on his face.

Beth remained stationary until Loki was directly in front of her. She saw that he was soaked to the bone from the rain and shivering slightly from the freezing wind that seemed to cut straight through his clothing. Despite all of that, there was a warm relieved smile on his face when he saw her lying on the ground curled up in a ball in an attempt to keep warm.

"Beth, I am going to take you home now." Loki said softly as the rain continued to stream down onto the awning. He picked her up in his arms and, holding her close to his chest, carried her home. The rain seemed to fall even harder as he struggled to see where he was going and he almost slipped and fell a few times. Hopefully, he could find his way back with this rain blinding him.

Meanwhile, back at the house, Grace and Jane were waiting in the sitting room with worried expressions on their faces. They heard the as door opened and closed and jumped to their feet in the hopes that the men who went out searching had found Beth. Thor then entered the room, drenched, with a sorrowful expression on his face.

"I searched for a half hour, I could not find her. I am so sorry. That rain is blinding." Thor said as he looked into Grace's expectant eyes. As she broke down in tears, Thor turned to Jane and asked, "Has Loki returned yet?" Jane shook her head no and Thor turned to Grace and put a large hand on her delicate shoulder comfortingly and said to her, "Loki is still out there. I am confident that he will find her."

Grace put her hand warmly on his and looked up into his warm brown eyes. She had tears running down from her bright blue eyes as a weak smile appeared on her face. "I hope so." She replied quietly.

Grace was continuously becoming more and more despondent with each passing moment as the rain started to pour down harder and harder. About a tense hour later, there was a slight banging at the front door. They all jumped up and ran to the door and opened it. Standing there was a shivering scared child in the arms of a tall soaked man. His long black hair was plastered to his back from the rain but for some reason, he did not have a shirt on. It was Loki. He had found Beth and was holding her tightly in his arms with his wet shirt over her to try to keep the wind out of her face.

A cry of relief escaped Grace's lips when she saw the two of them stepping into the house out of the rain. After Loki had set Beth down on a cot and covered her with a dry blanket, Grace ran up to him and embraced him tightly with tears of relief streaming down her face. They remained in that embrace for a few moments and Jane and Thor began to feel uncomfortable. They stepped into a different room as Grace and Loki remained wrapped in each other's arms for a few more moments.

Then Beth began coughing roughly so both Grace and Loki ran to her side and Grace put her hand on Beth's forehead. It was burning up. She had a fever. Grace walked out to the kitchen and grabbed a bowel of warm water and a cloth. Kneeling by Beth's side, Grace began to dab her forehead with the cloth and both Grace and Loki watched as she trembled under the sheet.

Loki grabbed another sheet from one of the cots and threw it over Beth. A few tense moments passed as Grace rested her hand on Beth's forehead. Eventually, Beth was back to normal and was sleeping soundly under the two sheets that were provided by Loki.

Without looking at him, Grace said to Loki, "I will get you some fresh dry clothing and you can change in Beth's room." With that said Grace stood up and left the room to fetch him some dry clothing.

Loki remained by Beth's side and when Grace left the room, her eyes opened. "Loki." She said weakly.

"Yes, Beth. I am here." Loki responded quietly as he placed his hand gently on her forehead.

"Thank you for finding me and carrying me home." Beth replied.

Loki smiled and answered her by saying, "Anytime. What happened to your friend? Is she still out there in the rain?"

Beth shook her head and answered, "No, she was not home."

"Why did you not come back then?" Loki asked as he furrowed his eyebrows.

Beth shrugged her shoulders and smiled up at him. Loki smiled back at her and kissed her warmly on the forehead.

At that moment, Grace came back into the room and placed a change of clothes down on the wooden bench. Loki stood then and walked over and picked up the clothes and walked to Beth's room to change out of his wet clothing.

Grace saw that Beth was awake then and rushed to her side. "How are you feeling, dear?" She asked with concern riddled in her voice.

"I am alright. I was relieved to see Loki had found me. He gave me his shirt to try to keep me warm." Beth explained.

"I know, I saw." Grace smiled back at her. "I think I will make him a cup of coffee to say thank you. Do you think he would like that?"

"I am not sure. He might." Beth responded.

Grace leaned forward and kissed Beth gently on the forehead and then went to see Loki. She knocked on the door to Beth's room and entered without hearing a response first. When she entered, she saw Loki standing there with a dry pair of jeans on but no shirt. He was in the process of picking that up to put it on.

Loki's back was turned when Grace entered the room and when she saw him standing there she said, "Oh I am sorry. Force of habit."

She then retreated and began to close the door behind her when Loki called to her saying as he turned to face her, "No, it is alright. Do not go. What do you need?"

Grace stopped in place and looked up at him. He was standing there bare chested with a dry black shirt in his hands. Scattered across his chest and abdomen were large scars and burns. When Grace saw them her jaw dropped slightly and a worried expression grew on her face.

Loki followed her gaze and saw that she was examining his scars. He looked back up at her when she spoke to him and asked if she could approach. He smiled as he bowed his head slightly and he watched as Grace slowly advanced towards him.

When Grace was just a few steps away, she looked up in to his eyes and asked, "May I?" Loki knew what she meant so he put the shirt down on the bed and nodded his head. Grace then nervously placed her hand on a single burn and ran her delicate fingers over one of the fierce angry scars on his chest. Her touch on his chest awoke a feeling of love in him that Loki was not aware that he could ever feel for another in all his life.

"May I ask how you got these scars, Loki?" Grace asked. Her voice was quiet and soft as she tried to hide the grief in her voice.

"You remember the dream that I had last night?" Loki asked in reply.

Grace shivered and looked up into his eyes. "The one where you were being tortured?"

"That was not just a dream. It is more like a memory." Loki replied as he watched Grace look over the burns that extended to his shoulders. "Please, do not heal them. I have had them for so long that they have become a part of me."

Grace looked up into his sincere soft green eyes and grinned slightly. "I cannot heal scars, Loki. I can only assist in the healing process of open wounds and illnesses."

They stood there and gazed into each other's eyes for a few moments as Grace's hands were resting on Loki's bare chest. They saw everything that they needed in the other persons eyes yet neither of them wanted to admit it to the other. Time seemed to stand still as they stood there together as Loki placed his hands on top of hers.

After a few moments, there came a knock on the door and Jane called in to them, "Is everything alright in there?"

Both Grace and Loki jumped as they were snapped out of their trance. "Yes, everything is alright. I will be out in a moment."

Grace called back. When they heard footsteps receding, Grace turned back to Loki and said to him quietly, "The reason I came in here was to ask you if you would like a cup of coffee."

"I have never had any before. What does it taste like?" Loki responded in turn.

"I am not sure. I have never had any before either. Jane brought some for me the other day." Grace confessed with an embarrassed smile upon her sweet face.

"Then we shall share this new experience." Loki answered with a reassuring smile on his face. "I will be out in a moment."

With that said; Grace left the room and entered the kitchen to find both Jane and Thor watching her with large smiles on their faces. "What were you doing in there, Grace?" Jane asked.

Grace walked over to the counter and began making the coffee that Jane brought for her. "We were just talking about coffee."

Thor was the one to speak this time, "For eight minutes? I highly doubt you were talking about coffee for that amount of time. Even though it is a marvelous drink."

Grace poured four cups of coffee and brought two to the table and gave them to her guests and glanced in the sitting room at Beth. She was sleeping soundly with a slight grin on her face. Grace turned back into the kitchen and brought the other two cups of coffee to the table. "We did talk about something else, but it is nothing like what you are thinking."

"What is it then?" Jane asked with a smile on her face. She was curious if this was just an act that Loki was putting on for her or if he was truly changed.

Grace looked down at her cup of coffee and back at the door to Beth's room which remained closed. "It is not my place to tell." She answered after a few moments.

Jane knew from experience that she was not getting any more information out of Grace so she just took a sip of her coffee and sat and watched as Grace waited for Loki to come out. A smile grew on her face when she saw him exit the room and quickly make his way to the table.

Loki sat down at the table and took the mug of coffee in his hands. He looked over at Grace and they smiled at each other as if they knew something that no one else in the room was allowed to know. Then they both took sip of coffee at the same time and they both had drastically different reactions. Loki seemed to enjoy it whereas Grace almost gagged. She then laughed and her laughter was so contagious that they all joined her. Laughter filled the house for a few moments.

When Jane and Thor finished their coffee, they said their farewells to Grace and Loki and walked out the front door. When they both were outside, Jane turned to Thor and asked him, "What do you think they were talking about in there all that time?"

Thor smiled and shook his head. "I am not even going to venture a guess. Anyway, I had better be getting back to Asgard, they will be missing me." With that said, they kissed each other and then Thor left on the Bifrost and Jane headed back to her hotel for the night.


	6. Hidden Away

About a year later, Loki awoke on the wooden bench in the sitting room. He sat up and stretched out the cramps caused by his night spent in the confined space. He looked over and saw that Beth was still lying on the cot that he had laid her on last night. She had gotten sick once again the other night and was still fighting the fever. He stood and walked over to her and knelt down at her side. He placed his cold hand on her forehead and noticed that it was still hot from her fever. He then got a washcloth out of the hall closet and ran cold water over it. Once it was nice and cold, he rang the water out of it and set it on Beth's forehead.

Then Loki walked into the kitchen and opened the cabinet that had the mugs in it and he got himself a glass of tap water. He leaned against the counter as he drank the water in silence. His eyes fell onto an odd object that was on the counter across from him. He walked over to it and picked up the strange shiny object. It was a pair of scissors. He examined them and noticed that they were relatively sharp. With a smile on his face, Loki carried them into the small bathroom.

Grace awoke then and began to walk into the kitchen. When she passed the bathroom, she heard the sound of snipping scissors. She stopped and knocked on the door and asked, "Is everything alright in there?"

"Yes, I will be out in a moment." Loki called out to her.

"Just checking." Grace answered. She then walked into the sitting room to check on Beth and saw that she was shivering once again. As quick as she could, she walked over to Beth's side and smiled when she saw the fresh cold washcloth on her forehead. She then placed her hand on Beth's chest and bowed her head. A few moments later, her shivering subsided and Grace stayed by her side for a few more minutes.

Then Grace went into the kitchen and started to make some coffee for Loki. The bathroom door opened and he came walking out slowly as he held something in his clenched hands. "Good morning, Loki." Grace said cheerfully without even glancing over at him.

"Good morning, Grace." Loki responded in kind. He continued to walk towards her slowly. When he reached her, he said to her, "Can you turn around for a moment, please?" His voice was shaking with nerves as he spoke which was very different for him.

Grace was concerned and turned around and saw that Loki had a loving gentle expression in his eyes. Grace smiled and asked sweetly, "May I help you with something, Loki?"

"Can you extend your hands towards me with your palms up, please? I have something for you." Loki said calmly.

Grace complied and extended her arms in front of her with her palms up. "Should I close my eyes as well?" She asked with a smile on her face.

Loki smile and replied, "You do not have to."

Then Loki raised his closed hands and set them on top of hers. He slowly opened his grasp and a few soft objects fell onto her hands. When Loki took his hands away from hers, Grace was surprised to see that it was his hair. She looked up at him and saw that he had cut off his hair and was giving it to her.

"I am now, and forever will be, yours." Loki said as she looked back down at his hair in her hands.

"Not to diminish this wonderful thought but, why did you give me your hair?" Grace asked as she glanced back up into his tender green eyes.

"In my culture, long hair is considered a sign of freedom. I am giving it to you because I never want to be parted from you. You are one of the most important people in my life, and Beth is another. I believe," Loki paused for a moment and glanced down at the floor. He took a deep breath and looked back into her eyes and continued speaking. "I know that I am in love with you. I have been since I first met you" He explained shyly.

Grace just stood there for a few moments and stared at him with a warm smile on her face. She was clutching his gift tightly against her chest as a tear found its way down the right side of her face.

After a few moments, Loki whispered, "Please say something."

"Oh…I am sorry, I am just shocked. It is like you read my mind." She paused as well and glanced into his expectant green eyes. She took a step forward and took his right hand in hers and said, "I feel the same way about you." She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled up at him.

Loki let out the most joyous laugh that Grace had ever heard as he wrapped her in a tight embrace and kissed her on the corner of her mouth tenderly. "You missed, Loki." She said with a coy smile on her face.

Then, Loki slowly leaned forward. He felt his heart racing as he drew closer to her and kissed her on the lips gently. Her hands gradually traveled from being at her sides to having her hands resting on his chest as his arms were wrapped around her waist. Grace was grateful that his arms where around her back for she felt knees almost went weak. Loki, on the other hand, felt like his heart skipped a beat or two. They both felt sparks going off from the moment that their lips touched.

When the kiss ended, both Loki and Grace remained in each other's arms for a few moments with their foreheads leaning against each other. They just stood there with their eyes closed taking in the other person's presence. That is, until they heard a voice behind them. It was a feminine voice and it sounded very familiar.

"You two are so sweet!" Said Jane, as she stood behind them with her arms crossed over her chest. "You must have really enjoyed that kiss that you were sharing. You did not even hear me come in a minute ago." She walked into the kitchen and placed a few things down on the counter. She glanced over at Loki and Grace and she saw that they were standing beside each other now looking a bit sheepish but they were still holding each other's hand. "I left a pair of scissors here yesterday and I cannot find them now. Do either of you know where they are?" Jane asked.

"I can go get them for you." Loki said as he let go of Grace's hand and headed into the bathroom.

Jane watched as Loki left the room and head towards the bathroom. When she noticed that his hair had been cut and that it was uneven in the back she asked. "Umm… Grace? What happened to his hair? I thought you were better than that."

"He cut it without my knowledge." Grace responded with a smile on her face. She looked down at his hair in her hand and put it into her pocket. She then watched as Loki returned from the bathroom a few moments later with the scissors in his hand. "Jane, may I borrow you scissors for a few minutes?" She asked.

Jane looked over at her friend and smiled, "Of course you can."

Grace smiled in thanks to her friend and turned to Loki and asked, "Hey, Loki. Can you sit down here for a minute, please?" She motioned to the chair directly in front of her as she spoke. Loki sat down in the chair that she pointed out and when he did, Grace put her right hand gently on the side of his arm and squatted down and whispered in his ear, "I am just going to fix your hair up a little bit, alright."

"Plus, fewer people will recognize you when it is short." Jane added.

Loki did not hear Jane speaking to him; he was just focused on Grace's touch on his arm. He smiled back at her and put his hand tenderly over hers, "Alright. I trust you."

Grace then kissed him tenderly on the forehead and began running her hands through his hair. Loki did not know what she was doing this for until he heard the scissors snipping slightly behind his back. She continued to run her hands through his hair a few times and then she would snip a little bit off.

Loki was just enjoying the touch of her hands. It seemed as if every time he felt her touch, he would tremble slightly. He almost did not hear the scissors snipping at times. Grace smiled when she felt him lean his head back slightly in her hands. She felt comfortable around him and she told him more than she ever told anyone in her life. They were in love with each other and neither of them wanted to admit it to the other until this morning.

When Grace was finished cutting his hair, it was about a half inch above his shoulders. "There, you are all finished now." Grace said as she handed the scissors back to Jane.

"Please," Loki said quietly as he reached his hand up and grasped hers. "Do not stop."

Grace smiled when she heard his protest so she began to give him a gentle head message. Loki closed his eyes and leaned his head back farther into her hands. Jane left the room to check on Beth and with her gone, Grace asked Loki, "May I try something I saw in a movie once when I was younger?" Without even opening his eyes, Loki agreed with her. Grace bit her bottom lip nervously for a moment and leaned his head back a bit more. Then she leaned over and kissed him on the lips while his head was in her hands. She felt as if her heart could soar for a brief moment in time that their lips were touching.

When their lips parted, Loki opened his eyes and saw Grace leaning over him with an affectionate smile on her face. With the light surrounding her the way it was, it appeared as if she had a halo around her head. Grace smiled nervously as she bit her lower lip once again.

"I feel like I am in heaven." Loki said softly in a voice that only she could hear. "But then again," he paused for a moment and glanced up at the ceiling. Grace was beginning to become more and more uneasy with every passing moment that she waited for him to finish his statement. He then looked back up into her expectant blue eyes and said, "I feel like I am in heaven every time you look at me. I feel unworthy to even have you glance in my direction. You continue to amaze me with your grace and your humility in the face of your hardships. I am so incredibly blessed to have met you even though I am far from worthy."

Grace was beginning to weep tears of joy and she leaned forward and kissed him on his cheek. Then Loki said with a smile on his face and lightheartedness in his voice, "You missed." Grace laughed then and Loki laughed along with her. Their laughter rang through the house and filled it with cheer.

At that moment, Jane reentered the room and looked over at the two love struck individuals who were laughing and was shocked to realize that Loki was smiling. Not just smiling, but laughing a heartfelt joy filled laugh like his heart had never been broken before. Had Grace really made that much of a difference in him? She watched as Loki stood up and wrapped her friend in a tight loving embrace.

"So, this is where my 'son' has been for the past year?" Said a threatening voice behind Jane. They all looked behind them and saw and older man with a golden eye patch over his right eye and his long white hair falling gently onto his bright red cape. He had a gold and silver breastplate on as if he was ready for a battle. His fierce blue eye was locked on Loki as it peered out from under bushy white eyebrows that matched his expansive white beard.

Grace's heart began to quicken in panic when she heard this man's menacing voice ring through the air like thunder and she gripped Loki all the tighter when he turned to face this man and responded, "Yes, 'father' this is where I have been residing." He took her hand and grasped it reassuringly as he led her out from behind him. As she limped in front of him, Loki continued speaking by saying, "This is Grace. She has been caring for me for the past year. She has done more for me in a single year than four years in your prisons have."

Odin looked down his nose at Grace when Loki was introducing her. Loki's voice and touch on her shoulders was incredibly calming as Odin scowled at her. She found herself smiling at the intimidating man in the room who was glaring hostilely at the pair of them.

"Loki," Odin said after he had finished scrutinizing her. Odin took a step forward and examined Grace closer. She felt his eyes go over every inch of her and rest on her leg that had the brace around it. "She is inferior, even for you. Just look at her. She has no right to even to glance at you even though you are worthless anyways." He said in a low aggressive voice. It almost sounded like he was yelling without raising his voice.

"How dare you!" Loki shouted at his father. "Grace is the only person, other than Frigga, to ever show me a shred of decency! In fact, she reminds me of Frigga at times!" He stepped forward and fixed Odin with an immensely terrifying scowl.

"Do not ever make that comparison again! This useless mortal is not even worthy to tie Frigga's shoes!" Odin cried back at his disobedient son.

"I will do as I please! You banished me here! I am just making the best life that I can here! Grace is helping me even though I am far from worthy of her attention!" Loki's grip tightened on her arm as he shouted at Odin. Grace winced slightly as his hold on her grew tighter and tighter with each word that came out of the All Fathers mouth. She touched his hand gently in an attempt to calm him, and it worked, but only slightly and temporarily.

"I banished you here because you are a monstrous person and I had hopped the people here would end your miserable life so that I would not have too!" Odin responded. Loki was stunned. The All Father had sent him to Midgard to die and did not expect him to survive.

Grace noticed this and interjected into the argument. Her voice was calm and quiet as she spoke to the frightening man who stood directly in front of her, "With all due respect, Loki is not at all what you think he is." The moment they heard her speak, the mood of both of the men in the room changed. Loki was calmed and soothed whereas Odin was agitated.

"Why is this miserable creature speaking to me?" Odin commented as he looked up at Loki.

"What did you just call her?" Loki said with an enormous amount of rage in his voice. It was clear to Grace, that he did not like the way his father was referring to her.

The argument followed in this fashion for a few more moments, and then a small weak voice called out from the room adjacent to the kitchen. It was the frightened voice of a little child that said, "What is going on?"

They all looked over and saw Beth standing there with a blanket in her hands as she trembled at the sigh before her. She was extremely pale and had large black circles under her dark green eyes. Her black hair was disheveled as she stood there and looked from Loki, to Grace, to Jane, and then to the strange man who was screaming at them. There were tears streaming down her face as she looked at them. It was then that Loki realized that she bore a slight resemblance to both Grace and himself.

Grace walked over to her and squatted down as best she could so she was eye level with the young child who was trembling from fear and said to her, "Do not panic, dear. Loki and his father are just having a little disagreement." As Grace spoke to her, she gently moved a strand of the child's black hair behind her ear. Then Grace kissed her on the forehead and said, "You are still feverish. Come with me, you need to lie in your own bed. It will be quieter in there." Grace then struggled to her feet and took the child's hand.

"Do they have to disagree so loudly?" Beth commented as they walked past the group in the kitchen who were watching them closely.

As Grace was tucking Beth to her bed; Odin turned to Loki and said in a low repulsed voice, "You fathered a child with that? You are even more of a disgrace then I thought!"

Jane jumped in then and shouted back at Odin, "Beth has been in Grace's care for three years! Beth is also around seven years of age! Loki has only been here for one year! How is that supposed to have happened? By magic? How do you explain my memories of Beth before Loki arrived on earth?"

"Loki is a master of magic. He was deprived of it when he was banished. But due to Thor's insistence, he was granted a bit of it back. He could have spun many lies in your head and made the child older with that magic that he regained." Odin explained as he looked down at Jane.

"Her name is Beth!" Jane shouted.

"That is not how he used his magic." Grace said as she calmly rounded the corner and looked up at the three people who were standing there arguing. As Loki listened to her voice, there was a strange melodious quality to it. This time, it seemed to have a slight soothing effect on all who heard it. "He used it to make these." She then held up the flowers that he had given to them with her eyes downcast.

The flowers still looked as fresh as the day Loki had given them to Grace and Beth about a year ago. Their purple and blue petals glimmering with green light as she held them out in the early morning sun so everyone could see. Odin stalked over to her and snatched the flowers out of her outstretched hand. He examined them closely and saw traces of his late wife's magic in them. Only two people knew how to make such lovely flowers: Frigga, and the young boy that she taught her magical craft to. Odin's eye began to water as he looked at the flowers and saw images of his wife in them. Perhaps Loki had changed. But, this could also be a trick to fool him into thinking that Loki had reformed.

Odin gazed at the flowers in his hands for a few long moments when he felt a tug on his cape. He looked down and there stood Beth. She was out of bed and was looking up at him with saddened eyes. Her pale pink lips parted and she said to him in a quiet voice that only he could hear, "Please do not be mad at Loki."

Grace saw this and said to her, "Beth, what are you doing out of bed?"

Beth turned to face Grace and said, "I just wanted to tell that to Loki's dad. He obviously is very angry with him."

"Come here, dear. We have to get you back to bed." Grace said as she offered her hand to Beth.

Odin then started to laugh lightly. Both Grace and Beth looked at him in confusion. "You are correct, little one. I am angry with him." He paused and looked over at Loki. He then looked back at Beth and squatted down to look into her eyes. "If you like him, I will try to be a bit nicer to him."

Beth smiled a large joyous smile and threw her arms around Odin. Loki walked silently over to Grace and took her hand. He then turned to his father and said, "Odin, I think you owe Grace an apology."

Grace stood on her tiptoes as best she could and whispered in Loki's ear, "Do not push it. Just hearing him say that he will be gentler with you is enough for me."

"She is right, Loki. Do not push it, whatever that means." Odin said as he let Beth go. When Beth ran back to her room, he turned to leave but he turned around at the last minute and looked down at the flowers that were still in his hand. He then turned to Grace and extended them to her and said, "I believe these belong to you." Grace grinned and she gently took them out of his hand with her eyes lowered. "That is odd." Odin said as he lowered his hand slowly.

"What is?" Loki asked as the muscles in his arms tensed as he prepared to defend Grace from another verbal attack from his father. Grace felt this as he gripped her hand tighter, so she put her other hand on his arm reassuringly and it had a slight calming effect on him.

"She knows how to treat royalty. I wonder how that is." Odin answered. "Also, how did she know that I am a king?"

"The way that you hold yourself as well as the way that you dress suggests that you are royalty. Also, I read a few books about royal families who had peasants visiting them and making requests while I was young. I try to follow those stories and treat other people as the royalty and myself as the peasant. Whether they truly are royalty or not." Grace answered plainly with her eyes still down cast.

"Hmm… There may be hope for you yet." Odin said as he turned and left to return to Asgard in the Bifrost.

After Odin left, Loki turned to Grace and said, "I am truly sorry about how he treated you."

Grace smiled and looked down at the flowers in her hand, "It is alright. I have had to handle a vast amount of criticism in my life. Believe me, I have had far worse." She rubbed his arm tenderly and walked farther into the kitchen to fetch a vase for the flowers.

Turning to Jane, Loki asked, "Why did you defend me?"

"I was defending Grace, not you. Granted, you have changed a great deal. You are not quite worthy of her affection in my perspective." Jane said as she crossed her arms over her chest and a defensive look appeared in her hazel eyes once again.

Loki looked over at Grace who was filling a vase with water and said quietly to Jane, "I agree with you there. I must have done something incredibly right in order to obtain it."

Back on Asgard, Odin stepped out of the Bifrost and saw Thor standing there with a questioning look on his face. "Where were you, father?" He asked.

"I was on Midgard. I meet the woman whom you told me has won Loki's heart." Odin answered.

Thor smiled. "What was your opinion of her?" He asked taking one cautious step forward.

"She was not what I expected. I anticipated a menacing unpleasant woman to be at his side. Instead, she seemed to be rather tender and courteous." Odin explained. His eyes were down cast as he had a perplexed expression on his face.

Heimdall stood there silently as the All Father and his son conversed of Loki and Grace. A smile grew on his face when he heard Odin describe Grace. He had seen her and Loki interact with each other. Grace was far more precious to Loki then these two would ever understand. Even if he explained, they would not fully comprehend. In fact, he himself hardly understood at times how this mortal could have made such an impact on the god of mischief. But he had a vague idea.

They both had suffered from being abandoned by their birth parents at different times during their life. They both had suffered unimaginable torments both mental and physical. Yet, they both responded completely differently to these hardships. Loki had lashed out with violence and destroyed the spirit of all that he came in contact with. Meanwhile, Grace was the complete opposite of him. She behaved with gentleness and love. Almost everyone who came in contact with her left happier than they were when they arrived. How they formed such a caring relationship with each other was a mystery to him. Perhaps, Grace had given Loki something he always wanted: love and understanding.

Thor smiled and said, "Father, I have an idea. It may seem a bit unorthodox, but just hear me out."

Odin looked Thor in the eyes and asked, "What is it, my son?"

A few days later, back at on Midguard, both Grace and Loki were in the park just walking hand in hand. They passed the trees and watched as the squirrels ran around and chased after each other. The birds sang sweet songs of love to each other as they sat down on a bench and watched as people walked past them every now and again.

Jane had told them that they could go out and enjoy themselves and she would look after Beth. Grace was reluctant because of Beth's fever, but she eventually left due to Jane's persistence. Now that she did leave the house, she was truly appreciating the fact that she did leave. She just sat around and enjoyed Loki's presence as he stayed by her side the entire time.

After they sat there in relative silence for a few moments, Loki turned to Grace and asked her, "May I ask what the first time that you realized you had a gift for healing was? Other than the healing of Jane's arm, of course."

Grace looked at him and smiled, "I was probably around six years of age at the time. I was on the playground and I saw two young boys playing with something on the ground as they laughed. I wanted to see what could be more entertaining than playing on the swings and the slides so I walked over to join them."

Grace gripped Loki's hand tightly as she recalled what had happened next. "I looked over their shoulder and saw that they were playing with a live pigeon. The poor bird had a broken wing and could not fly away as they tormented the poor unfortunate creature. So, I yelled at them and they left the bird to fend for itself on the ground. I walked over to it, and picked it up in my hands and it did not fight me as I held it tightly in my grasp." She looked away and smiled when she described bringing the bird over to her mother who was sitting on a bench as she spoke with some of the other mothers. "My mother scolded me for picking up a wild bird because it may have a disease. I loosened my grip slightly and the most amazing thing occurred."

Loki smiled and asked, "What happened."

Grace looked over at him and smiled a radiant joyous smile as she explained what transpired next. "The bird hopped up onto my hand, stretched its wings, and lightly pecked on my hand. Then it looked at me, and I can swear, it smiled! Then it flew away! Ever since that day, I have always loved birds."

Loki looked down at the grass and grabbed a few things in his left hand then he sat back up. "That is truly amazing! I wish I can say that I had an experience like that in my childhood."

"Now I am curious. May I ask what your childhood was like?" Grace asked. She looked over at him with a bright loving smile on her face and he could have sworn that he saw a glimmer in her bright blue eyes.

Loki looked down at the ground and a look of grief entered his eyes. It was a look that Grace had dearly hopped that she would never see in his beautiful green eyes again. In response to this, she gripped his hand tightly in hers and intertwined her delicate fingers with his. When he answered her, his voice was quiet and filled with distress. "It was very lonely. I spent most of my time trying to get my father's attention. When I did, it never lasted long. My brother, Thor, whom you met, got most of the attention. He got so much attention from both of my parents that I grew to be jealous of him. Sometimes it seemed as if he could do no wrong and I could do nothing right." Grace saw a tear beginning to form in his left eye as he spoke. She watched as his face transformed from one of delight to one of pure tormented pain. A small weak smile grew on his face when he spoke of his mother, Frigga, and how she was the only one who was ever kind to him and how she reminded him of his mother.

Grace listened as Loki told of other distressing stories from his childhood, how Thor kept showing him up, and about his strained relationship with his father. She placed her hand warmly on his back as he placed his face in his right hand but kept his left hand below his knees. They sat there in silence for a few moments as Loki wept silently and Grace sat by his side and comforted him.

When Loki sat up, Grace wrapped both of her arms around him and whispered in his ear, "I so wish I could take all that pain away from you, Loki. Nothing is worse than having a parent who does not approve of you."

Loki smiled affectionately and returned Grace's embrace by pulling her in with his right arm. "You have already saved me from a life of grief and isolation. That for me is enough." With that said, Loki lifted up his left hand to reveal that he had picked a bouquet of bright blue wild flowers and he was giving it to her.

Grace took them from his hand with a grateful smile on her face. Then a single blue bird flew down from his perch and landed lightly on the ground in front of them. She watched the bird with keen interest as it ate the seeds on the ground that fell from the trees and noticed that it was not afraid of Loki as it hopped closer and closer to his feet.

"Hold out your hand towards the bird for a moment please, Loki." Grace said quietly. When he complied, the bird then, to Loki's surprise, flew from the ground and onto his outstretched hand. He watched the bird closely as it began to sing its song of love to both of them.

Grace then grasped Loki's right hand and gently brought it up to stroke the bird's back. It was soft to the touch and the bird continued to sing as he caressed its feathers. A large joyous smile grew on his face as he examined the bird with interest.

Grace watched him stroke the blue birds back with a peaceful look on his face. She loved that he appreciated the little things like she did. Maybe that is because he was deprived of so much attention when he was young that he enjoyed the things that she showed him. "Birds are pure of heart and they are not afraid of others who have a pure heart as well." Grace said.

Loki looked up at her and there was the most pleasant peaceful look was on his face that Grace had ever seen as he chuckled and answered, "Believe me. I have anything but a pure heart."

"And yet, here the bird sits." Grace said as she looked into his peaceful green eyes. They sat there in silence for a few moments as Loki thought about all that she had said to him. His eyes clouded over as his thoughts went back to Asgard and his mother. She had said something to him that was very similar to this. What was it?

Grace noticed this faraway look in his eyes as she stroked the birds back so she said, "When my parents first left me here, I did not leave the house for almost an entire year." She looked up and saw that Loki was listening to her intently. She smiled as she continued to speak and stroke the bird's back. "The birds are what initially drew me out of my self-inflicted solitude. They sang their song regardless if it was sunny, rainy, or even snowy outside. They showed me that even when situations in life are terrible, that you can always find something to sing about."

"I suppose that is true." Loki answered as he looked back at the bird. "It is hard to find something to sing about when you are alone as a child though. I am not even sure if I learned anything from it." He added.

"I think, it taught you to be self-sufficient." Grace commented. Loki looked up at her and saw that the sun was shining behind her and soft rays of light were streaming through her brown hair. She truly was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. She leaned forward and placed her hand affectionately on his knee. "I believe it makes one very considerate to those that they come across in life because they know what it is like to be desperate for attention. But then, that is just me." Grace smiled as she leaned back into the bench.

The bird flew off Loki's hand then and he picked up Graces right hand as he brought it to his lips and he kissed it sweetly. Grace blushed and smiled shyly at him. He said, "I am ever so glad to have had the great honor of meeting you, Grace." They sat there in silence for a few more moments as they just enjoyed each other's presence.

Then Loki stood and offered his hands to Grace to help her to her feet. Grace smiled and put her hands in his and struggled to her feet as he gently supported her. When she was on her feet, she grabbed her cane and the wild flowers as she asked Loki, "Where to now?"

"We are going to find a book store." Loki responded. "I am going to look for a few books that we can read to Beth. That is what my mother did for Thor and myself when we were sick."

Grace smiled and replied, "I love that idea! Beth will love it as well!"

Grace and Loki walked hand in hand to the nearest book store and when they arrived, Loki held the door open as she entered the building. They browsed through several shelves of books together and pulled some out every now and again to show the other person. After about twenty minutes, Loki walked up to the check out with about four books in his hand. Grace stood by his side as they waited for the cashier to arrive.

There were some chocolates for sale by where they were standing and Loki noticed that Grace was eyeing them up. "Do you like chocolate?" He asked.

"I cannot remember. It has been so long since I allowed myself the simple pleasure of a piece of chocolate. Whenever I receive some, I give it to Beth. She deserves it more than I do." Grace replied. She then looked up at him and asked, "Do you like it?"

"I am not sure. I cannot remember ever having any before." Loki answered as he reached out and took one from the stand and put in in his hand with the books. He looked into Grace's blue eyes and winked. Grace laughed lightly with a cheerful smile on her face as she wrapped her arm in his.

Then the cashier came and saw Grace standing there and said cheerfully, "I was just about to give up ever seeing you again!" He had a joyful smile on his face as he spoke. He had short blonde hair and beep drown eyes.

Grace looked over at him and a smile grew on her face when she recognized him. It was almost exactly eleven years ago when she had taught a teenage boy who was living on the streets how to read. The boy was dyslexic and here he was, standing in front of her with a job at a small book store.

"Hello! How have you been?" Grace said to him as her arm remained wrapped around Loki's.

"I have been very well! My dyslexia is not bothering me anymore, thanks to you!" He answered. He looked at the books in Loki's hands and asked as he pointed at them, "Are you teaching someone else to read now?"

"No. I am actually getting these to read to Beth, a young lady who I took into my care a few years ago." Grace answered. She then said, "Forgive me, I am being incredibly rude. Jacob, this is Loki. Loki, this is Jacob."

"Hello, Loki. It is nice to meet you." Jacob said as he extended his hand towards Loki with a warm smile on his face.

"Likewise." Loki replied with a smile as the two of them shook hands firmly.

After they finished shaking hands, Jacob added with his deep kindly voice, "Grace is one of the best people I have ever met! I was a teenage delinquent who was robbing stores for money and food when I met her. She confronted me and asked why I was raiding the stores. You probably know as well as I do that you just cannot push her aside." Loki nodded his head in agreement. "Anyway, I told her that I am an orphan and that no one had ever taken the time to look at me let alone talk to me. She took the time not only to talk to me but she also taught me to how to read and get past my dyslexia. How did you meet her?"

Loki answered by saying, "When she found me, I was being beaten to death by at least thirty people. With the help of some man dressed in blue, she got them to leave me alone and then she brought me into her house and cleaned me up and feed me. Since then, I have never been in need of anything." His voice was coated in admiration as he spoke and then he added modestly, "It is nothing as spectacular as your encounter with her, but that is how it happened."

"Guys, I am right here. Please stop speaking about me as if I am not present." Grace interjected with a shy smile on her face.

Jacob complied with her and said to Grace and Loki, "Anything you want, you can have it for free."

"Will you not get into trouble with your boss?" Grace asked with a concerned look on her face.

"I am the boss!" Jacob replied with a smile. "You said that if I could read and write I could accomplish anything. Because of you, I have achieved my dream since I learned the joy of reading. I own my own book store!" He spread his arms open wide as he spoke with a large smile spread across his face.

Grace smiled at him and said, "Congratulations, Jacob!"

After a few minutes of conversation between the three of them, Loki and Grace left the store, but not before she had slipped a few dollars into one of the shelves of the checkout without anyone noticing. They walked in silence for a few moments before Loki turned to Grace and asked, "What is dyslexia?"

"Dyslexia is a reading disorder where the mind cannot interpret letters and numbers correctly. It can make it very difficult and incredibly frustrating to read." Grace explained to him.

"You taught him to read?" Loki asked.

"Yes, of course. Everyone should have the tools to read. It is an amazing wonderful thing. It can help you escape the harsh reality and enter into an other world or another time." Grace smiled at him as they closed in on the house.

When they entered the house, Beth came running up to them and wrapped both of them in a tight embrace. Jane entered the room then and said, "I am so glad you are home. I have been running after this young lady for hours. I need to go to my hotel for the night. I am exhausted." Without even waiting for a response, Jane exited the house and left to head back to her hotel.

Loki held the door open for Jane as she left the house. Then he turned to Beth, who was standing in front of him with her arms outstretched, and picked her up. He placed her on his hip and showed her the books they just purchased. As Beth looked through them, a smile formed on her face. "What are all of these for?" She asked.

"We would like to read these books to you. My mother use to read to my brother and I when we got sick." Loki answered. "Would that be alright with you?"

Beth grinned warmly and wrapped her arms tightly around him. "Yeah! Can you read one now?" She asked excitedly.

"It is alright with me." Loki replied with a smile on his face. Then they both looked over at Grace expectantly.

Grace looked at them both and saw an eager gaze on their faces. She smiled and answered the two of them, "Which book would you like us to read to you first?"

Grace watched as Beth cheered and jumped out of Loki's arms and raced into the sitting room with a bright smile on her face. Loki was watching Grace and saw a joyful smile on her angelic face and thought to himself, 'She is truly beautiful.'

As he watched her, Grace followed Beth into the sitting room with the books in her hand and he noticed that it seemed she was not limping as much as usual. Perhaps this was just a good day for her. Loki saw her turn around and look at him. She smiled, and when she did, he noticed that his once frozen and en-caged heart was now ablaze with love and was beating freely all because of her.

"Are you going to join us, Loki?" Grace asked, as the warm smile rested upon her face.

Loki was snapped out of his trance by the sound of her soft melodic voice. He saw Grace standing in the threshold to the sitting room with her left hand resting against the corner of the wall. Her hair was not pulled up this time so it was hanging loosely down to her shoulders. Her brown hair seemed to catch in the dim light that was coming in from the window and cause it to shine like nothing he had ever seen.

Grace smiled as Loki nodded his head at her and said in reply, "Why don't you two pick a book and I will be in to join you in a few minutes?"

"Do not take too long. Or we may start without you." Grace smiled as she entered the room and sat on the cot nearest to the window next to Beth. She ran her hand through her brown hair as Beth looked through the four books that they had gotten for her. They were books with riddles, fairy-tales, poems, and Norris mythology.

"Please do." Loki whispered with a warm grin on his face as he watched the two of them interact.

Loki watched as Beth pick out the book that was comprised of poems over the mythology and fairy-tales and opened the book to a random page. She handed it to Grace who then began to read the poem on that page. This one was about the power of love and how it could melt the frozen heart. Loki thought her enchanting voice was perfect for reading this particular poem. As she effortlessly read the poem, Loki was enchanted by her once again. He leaned against the wall as he closed his eyes and listened as she read. Her melodic voice just floated through the air and landed gracefully on his ears.

Once Grace finished reading that poem, Loki opened his eyes, entered the room, and sat down on the other side of Beth. She smiled, took the book out of Grace's hands and handed it to Loki. He took the book out of her hands and turned the page to another random poem. The poem that he read was about magic.

As Loki read it he used a strong and powerful voice that was also gentle at the same time. Grace listened to him read and she felt her heart beating a bit faster every time he would look up at either Beth or herself. She secretly wished this moment would never end. She always loved the enchanting wording of poetry, but it just sounded all the more entrancing when it was read with his soft voice.

Both Loki and Grace would alternate reading to Beth. They remained there and read more poems, sometimes the same ones over again at Beth's request, for about an hour and a half. Then Grace noticed that Beth was yawning. She suggested that Beth go lie down on her bed and take a nap for a bit, and when she came back, they would read to her some more.

Beth agreed and gave both Grace and Loki a hug and a kiss on the cheek then she walked off to her room. Loki watched Grace once again as she observed Beth stride drowsily off to her room with the book of poems in her grasp. Once the door closed, Loki asked carefully, "I noticed the other day that Beth looks strikingly similar to you. Why is that? Is she your daughter and you just told me otherwise because you did not know me yet?" His voice was quiet and tender as he spoke in hushed tones.

"She is not my daughter according to DNA, but," Grace paused for a moment and looked at the door to Beth's room. "She is my daughter according to me. I chose to raise her on my own. As for the fact that she looks similar to me, I think prolonged exposure has a lot to do with that." She smiled as she spoke and gazed into Loki's confused green eyes.

"What is prolonged exposure?" Loki asked.

"Prolonged exposure is when people, who have been together for a while, begin to look a bit similar to each other, even though they are not related at all. It cannot have escaped your notice that Beth has acquired some of your physical characteristics as well." Grace explained.

"I noticed that the other day when my father was here. But I have only known you both for little over a year. Does it really work that fast?" Loki asked as he gazed into her blue eyes.

"This is not a proven scientific fact, but I think that it transpires faster when the bond between the two people is as strong as it is between you and Beth." Grace answered as she looked into his perplexed green eyes. "I have watched you two together, Loki. It is almost like you were meant to know each other and to assist the other heal from the injuries that you both have received in your lives."

"Well, you helped a lot as well." Loki smiled at her as he playfully pushed her shoulder. Grace smiled at him in response.

"I did very little. All I did was bring the two of you together." Grace responded as she gazed into his bright green eyes.

"That is not true." Loki said quietly as he took her hand gently in his and kissed it. He looked into her blue eyes and whispered with affection clear in his voice as he held her hand close to his heart, "You taught me how to love again."

Grace smiled back at him and squeezed his hand warmly. "You were always capable of love, Loki. You have a wonderful heart with so much love to give. I suppose I just helped you realize that fact." Grace answered quietly as she gazed into his green eyes while she ran her pale hand through his short black hair.

"Where is the hair that I gave you?" Loki asked after a few moments.

"It is on my bed stand. May I ask why?" Grace answered with a confused look on her face.

Loki smiled and answered, "I was just wondering."

"Alright." Grace answered. She continued to run her hand through his hair as she studied his face with adoration in her blue eyes. As Loki gazed at her, he was suddenly filled with the urge to kiss her once again. He looked at her rosy lips as he considered the thought. She must have seen this on his face, for she leaned forward slightly and he put his hand gently behind her head to pull her closer as he leaned forward as well. When their lips touched, sparks went flying around in both of their minds.

Time almost seemed to stop as they shared their love with each other. The bird song outside the window seemed to fade out and the only sound that could be heard by both of them was the sound of their own heart beating as they raced in sync with each other. When they parted, Grace had her hand resting over Loki's heart and she felt it beating strongly. She looked into his eyes and smiled timidly. Loki smiled back at her and placed his hand over hers as it rested on his chest.

Loki realized then that he would do anything to keep that smile on her face. She was all that mattered to him anymore. He loved her with all of the pieces of his broken and shattered heart that was made whole by her touch.

As Grace felt Loki's hand griping hers, she felt as if her heart was about to burst. She looked down at the ground and smiled. Her hand was still over his heart when she did this and she felt Loki place his other hand under her chin. He slowly lifted her gaze towards him and he softly said to her, "My heart was broken and shattered into a thousand pieces but your smile mended it back into one. I know I said it many times, but I will say it once more. I am ever so grateful to have met you. That you would even look my way is a complete mystery to me. I am so thankful that you did though. If you had not," He paused for moment and saw a tear forming in her right eye. He wiped it away and completed his statement, "If you had not taken me into your home and cared for me, I would still believe that I was incapable of being loved and cared for."

After Loki finished speaking, Grace threw her arms around him with a bright smile on her face as he returned the embrace. She then whispered in his ear, "I have to thank you as well. Because my parents left me the way that they did, I was afraid that everyone who came into my life would eventually leave me broken hearted. I would show them love but still remain distant. But, since I saw you, I was no longer afraid of having my heart broken. It would be an honor to have my heart broken by you, Loki. You have awakened feelings in me that I did not know I was capable of having."

As Loki listened to Grace speak to him, he felt a tear forming in his eye and run down the right side of his face. There was a warm pleasant smile that grew on his face as he heard her tell that he had helped her as well. After Grace had finished speaking, they remained in their tight embrace for a few moments.

Loki was the first to pull away; when he did he said to Grace, "Would you like to go outside?"

Grace smiled at him and answered, "Of course."

They walked outside hand in hand and before Grace knew it, both she and Loki were seated on the roof watching the stars come out as the sun was setting in the west. They just sat there with their fingers intertwined as they listened to the birds singing and watched the stars together. There was something wonderfully magical about watching the heavens with the other person at their side even though neither of them said a word.

Suddenly, a stunning display of lights appeared in the sky above Loki and Grace. It looked like the aurora borealis, only it was more colorful and brighter. Grace was mesmerized by the lights as Loki watched her face light up every time the colors in the sky changed or moved. Then, meteors began to shoot through the sky in streaks of light. After a few minutes, Grace turned to Loki and asked, "Is it alright if I lean back onto your chest?"

Loki looked down into her bright blue eyes and smiled. "Of course it is!" He answered as he opened his arms for her to lean in. As Grace leaned her head against his chest, he closed his arms around her. When he rested his hand on her arm, he noticed that she was cold. "Would you like me to go back into the house to retrieve a blanket for you?"

Grace shook her head and answered, "Just hold me closer, please." She rolled over and cuddled up to him then and he felt the need to take her back into the house and put her in her own bed for the night. But there was something else inside of him that did not want to move from this spot as his arms tightened gently around her chilly shoulders.

Grace closed her eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep to the sound of his heart beat as she lay in his arms. Loki then kissed her tenderly on the forehead and looked back up at the sky. He watched as the lights faded into nothing and the meteors stopped streaking through the night sky. He had called the lights and the meteors for her to see. He did it all for her. She loved nature and all its beauty. He wanted her to see some of the sights that he saw every day on Asgard but never really appreciated until he met her.

"Good night, Grace." Loki whispered softly into Grace's ear as her head rested on his chest and a sweet smile lie on her face while she slept with her head on his chest.


	7. February Song

"Good morning, lovebirds." Said a voice down below. Both Grace and Loki had fallen asleep on the roof as they lay in each other's arms. Loki had lain down with his arms wrapped tightly around Grace and closed his eyes. He never intended to fall asleep up there on the roof. But, apparently, he did.

Grace was the first to sit up. Her brown hair was all disheveled and her blue eyes were dreary from sleep. She looked down and saw Loki still lying on his back watching her with his green eyes. There was a warm grin on his face as she pulled her hair up and said to him, "Thank you for last night, Loki. That was lovely!" She smiled at him then and he thought he saw something in her smile that was never there before.

"No problem. You have shared so much with me; it was a pleasure for me to share something with you." Loki answered as he sat up and placed his hand warmly on her shoulder.

"I am still down here." The voice said again. It was a feminine voice that sounded very familiar to both of them. It also had a hint of sarcasm in it that was mixed with just a pinch of amusement. It was none other than Jane who was standing by the door of the house looking up at them.

As Grace rested her head back onto Loki's chest, he said to her, "We should really go down and rejoin the world, Grace."

"I do not want to. The world is too cruel. I just want to stay here in your arms for a bit longer." Grace protested with her eyes closed and her arms tight around Loki's waist. He smiled in response and turned to Jane and told her that they will be down in a few minutes.

"I will just wait in the house then." Jane replied. With that being said, she walked in through the front door.

Loki and Grace just sat on the roof with their arms wrapped around each other and not even two minutes later, Grace was asleep again. Loki looked up at the blue sky and sighed. He picked her up in his arms and carried her down off the roof and entered the house. Jane walked up to him, but before she could say anything, he whispered to her, "Grace fell back asleep. I am taking her to her room. I will be right back out."

"Alright." Jane answered in kind.

As Loki walked away with Grace held in his arms, Jane watched and could not help but think that he really did love her. Given what Thor told her about him and his past and all that he had done, she found it strange that he would form such a strong relationship with Grace. Then again, Grace was a hard person not to form a connection with.

A few moments later, Loki exited Grace's room and he closed the door behind him quietly. He walked into the kitchen and asked Jane if she would like anything to eat or drink. Jane declined both offers and said to him, "What did you and Grace do on the roof last night, Loki?" She had suspicion in her voice as she spoke to him.

"We just watched the night sky and ended up falling asleep." Loki answered point blankly.

"That is it?" Jane asked questioningly.

"Yes. Grace did not want a blanket so we had to hold each other tightly." Loki answered.

Jane nodded her head and said, "I just came to tell Grace that I am going back to New Mexico today. I realize that I have not really stayed long this month but," She paused for a moment and took one cautious step towards Loki. "I usually come because I know she must be lonely. It would appear that even though you have only been here about a year, she has formed a closer relationship with you then she has with me."

"I highly doubt that." Loki replied with a polite smile. "You were her friend from the beginning. You also come to see her as often as you can. You must pay her utility bills as well."

"Sure, I pay her water, electricity, and her rent bills; I also bring her little things to add to her house every now and again. But I only started doing that after I found her. It took me eight long years to discover where her parents left her. When I did, she did not even recognize me at first. It took her almost two weeks to remember who I was." Jane persisted. "But you, you hardly leave her side. You do things just to make her smile or laugh. I can only assume that means that you love her, am I wrong?"

Loki looked back at Grace's room and noticed that the door was still closed then he looked back and Jane. He took a deep breath and answered her with a soft voice, "Yes, I do love her. With all my heart."

"Then be good to her." Jane answered. "Just know that if you break her heart, I will find you no matter how long it takes, and I will make your life a living hell! Is that understood?" Jane threatened with hostility clear in her voice.

"Completely understood. I would never dream of it!" Loki answered calmly.

Jane left the house then and Loki went back to Beth's room and sat on the edge of her bed. He placed his hand gently on her shoulder and woke her up by saying, "It is time to get ready for school."

Beth awoke and smiled warmly at him. When she noticed that Loki had awakened her she asked, "Where is Grace?"

"Grace is sleeping." Loki answered. "Would you allow me to walk you to school today?"

Beth smiled and answered, "Yes!"

Loki smiled and responded, "Get ready then. We should get going soon."

Loki left Beth's room and wrote a note on the counter for Grace letting her know where he and Beth went and to wait there for him to return. Beth then came skipping out of her room all dressed for school with her books under one arm and grabbing the lunch bag that he had packed for her.

Loki smiled brightly when he saw Beth and extended out his hand for her which she happily took. As they left the house hand in hand, Beth asked, "What did you and Grace do last night after I went to take my nap? You never returned to continue reading to me."

"We just sat on the cot and talked then we went to the roof and watched the stars together." Loki answered as they walked along the street hand in hand.

"That is it?" Beth asked as she tried to take as wide steps as he did.

"Pretty much. We also fell asleep on the roof." Loki answered. He looked down at her when she giggled at his last statement. He saw a large smile on her face when he looked at her and asked with joy in his voice, "Why are you laughing?"

"The roof is not comfy." Beth replied.

"It was to us." Loki responded.

"How? Did you have a pillow?" Beth asked as she looked up at him.

"Nope. We did not plan on falling asleep, it just happened." Loki answered.

"Did you kiss her while you were up there?" Beth asked as she found a rock to kick along in front of her. "You like her, I can tell."

"Yes, I kissed her on the forehead." He responded with a smile on his face as he looked down at her. "Also, I more than like her. I love her." Loki replied. His mind went back to last night and he remembered watching Grace's face as she saw the lights that he summoned with the magic that he got back. He recalled leaning back on the roof with Grace asleep in his arms. He remembered the feeling of her head resting on his chest as she gently breathed. He had watched her sleep then and noticed that she looked even more peaceful, if that was even possible, while she slept.

"Loki?" Beth interjected after a few moments.

Loki was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of her voice. "Yes, Beth?"

"Are you going to be my new daddy?" Beth asked shyly.

Loki chuckled softly and answered her, "Would you like that?" Beth just nodded her head in response. "That is entirely up to Grace, my dear. But I would like to be. Very much so."

They continued to walking in relative silence that was broken by Beth asking the occasional question and Loki responded to every single one. They reached the school a few minutes later and noticed that there were cops out front. They were walking around trying to calm people and speaking into their walkie-talkies on their shoulders.

"What is going on?" Loki asked the nearest mother when he was close enough.

The mother that Loki spoke to had pale green eyes and shoulder length red hair, and when she turned around, she saw Loki standing there with Beth's hand in his. She screamed and pointed her finger at him and backed away quickly. The police were on him in an instant. They pried him away from Beth, who was protesting and shouting, and slapped some hand cuffs on him. They then lead him away and put him in the back of a police car and drove away. Beth, forgetting that school was about to start, ran all of the way back home as fast as she possible could.

Back at the house, Grace awoke in her room by herself. She heard the birds singing outside her window and smiled. The events of last night came rushing back to her then. She watching the most fantastic scene up in the sky that she had ever seen with Loki by her side. She also recalled falling asleep in his arms as he held her close. He must have eventually fallen asleep on the roof as well for they both awoke there in the morning. After Jane had roused them she must have fallen back asleep in his arms and he must have carried her into her room.

Grace then remembered with a start that Jane was at the house and she was not overly fond of Loki. She did not want to leave those two out there by themselves. She sat up rapidly and put her brace on. She stood up and walked out to the kitchen only to find that she was alone in the house. She then saw that there was a note on the counter so she walked over to it. When she was standing in front of the note, she picked it up and read it. The note read:

**Dear Grace,**

**Jane decided to leave early, so she is on her way back to New Mexico. I have taken Beth to school. Do not panic. I will be back soon. I promise.**

**All my love,**

**Loki.**

A smile spread across Grace's face as she read Loki's short and to the point note. He obviously did not have time to compose a full letter. Grace folded up the letter and put it in her pocket then she started to prepare some coffee for him when he arrived back at the house.

The door opened then and someone came running into the house. Grace turned around then and saw Beth panting and gasping for breath. "What is wrong, Beth?" She asked. Worry coating her voice.

"Loki got arrested." Beth answered breathlessly as she pointed out the open door.

Shock was all over her face as Grace asked, "What happened?"

"I am not sure." Beth replied. "Liza's mother just looked at him a screamed. Then the cops were all over him."

Grace quickly grabbed her wheelchair and told Beth that she was going to go and try to get him out. She told Beth to wait at the house and she then wheeled herself out the door,

As Grace wheeled to the police station she felt the anger rising within her. She wanted to calm down yet could not, her rage was adding to her adrenaline. She was imagining finding Loki locked in a prison cell with several other brutal inmates. He was far to gentle a person to harm anyone if he got attacked by the other convicts. Sure, he could defend himself but he should not have to.

After about thirty minutes, Grace reached the police station and entered. She stood up from her chair and slowly strode over to the desk. Before she reached it, she managed to hide her anger just enough to fool the police woman who was behind the desk.

"Ah Grace." She said when she noticed that Grace stood directly in front of the desk. She had deep blue eyes and dark red hair that was pulled back in a tight French braid. "What can I help you with today?"

Grace smiled and answered, "I understand you arrested someone on suspicion of being the one who invaded the city. I came to tell you that you made a mistake."

The police woman laughed a hearty laugh and responded to her, "An eye witness pointed him out, Grace. Unless she made a mistake, we got the correct man."

"May I go back and see him, please?" Grace asked. "He had been in my care for the past year."

"You mean to tell me that he has been in New York for a year and we did not know about it?" The police officer responded as she sat forward.

"Yes, he has. He is not the man that you think he is." Grace replied quietly.

In response, the police woman grabbed a set of keys from her desk drawer and said to Grace, "I do not believe that we got the wrong man, but I will let you see him. Because you help so many people, I will even let you speak to him for no more than five minutes."

"Thank you." Grace responded.

The police woman opened a bared door and lead Grace past cells with inmates shouting curse words at each other and cat calling when she walked by. Some of them even called out to her saying, "Hey pretty girl. Come a little closer, baby."

"Most of these men here were arrested for drug dealing or robbery. Some of them for abuse or even murder. Never have we had someone in here who tried to cause genocide." The police woman explained.

"Loki did not try to commit genocide!" Grace answered. There was a hint of hostility in her voice and then she quickly composed herself and added, "He was just heart broken."

She laughed and answered, "Well, when my boyfriend left me, you did not see me on the news killing people."

Grace just ignored that comment and continued to follow the police woman further into the prison. Every jail cell that they passed held at least two inmates in them as they walked through what seemed to be a maze of cells. They called out to her in much the same way, but some of them called out degrading comments at her. Some sounded a bit like this: "Hey, are you deaf as well as lame! Get me out of here!" Others, I do not even care to mention.

"Your man is in solitary confinement. It is just back here." The police officer commented once they were getting close.

Grace then came up to a room that was completely enclosed with concrete and cinder-block. The door to the room was made of metal and it had one single window in it that held a thick plastic in it. "He is in there." The police woman pointed to the room.

"Why was he put in solitary confinement?" Grace asked with shock clear in her voice.

"We did not want him to harm any of the other inmates." Said another police man that walked up to them. He had brown eyes and thinning brown hair. He was clutching his belt as it strained to support a rotund stomach.

Grace looked at him and practically shouted her answer, "He would not harm anyone! He is far too gentle to do anything of the kind!"

"He invaded the city with an army of aliens." The man commented. "You say that that man is gentle?" He pointed at the cell with his thumb as he held on to his belt with his other hand.

"True, he did invade the city, but he has changed." Grace protested.

They argued for a few more minutes, and then the woman turned to Grace and said, "You wanted to see the prisoner. Is that correct?"

Grace composed herself and responded, "Yes, please."

The police man pulled a set of keys off of a loop on his belt and unlocked the door. The police woman was preparing to usher her into the room by lightly grasping her arm, but Grace could tell this and shouted, "Do not touch me!" while simultaneously yanking her arm away.

The police man opened the door then and Grace saw Loki with shackles attached to his feet and hands as he sat on a small bench in the far corner of the room. It was dark and the only light that entered into the small room was from a minuscule window on the west wall. Although it was dark, Grace could see a dejected look upon his face as he stared out the window with a faraway look in his green eyes.

The room was sound proof so he did not hear them arguing outside the room. "Have you come to see the monster before it is too late?" Loki asked without even looking up to see who was at the door. His voice was one of someone who knew that they were never getting out alive and he had a single tear running down his pale face.

Grace stood at the threshold of the room and sighed when she saw him sitting there. "I have told you before, Loki. You are not a monster." When he heard her voice, he looked up with an expression that was a mixture of joy and dread. Grace then casually limped into the room and sat down beside him. "You are only a monster if you choose to be." There was a weak sad smile on her face as she looked into his green eyes.

"Grace," Loki began as he turned to face her. "I am so glad to see you. But you should not have come." He was speaking to her in a soft gentle tone of voice that confused the officers who were watching.

"Why do you say that?" Grace asked. She had begun to choke up because she guessed what was coming. Her hands were folded neatly in her lap but you could tell that she was fighting the impulse to reach out and hold him.

"I am going to be executed in a few hours." Loki answered her.

Grace then had a tear that began to run down the left side of her face. "Why?" She asked again sorrow coating her voice.

Almost immediately, the police man answered, "Because we were ordered that if we ever capture the man who is responsible for the invasion of aliens in the city that we should execute him at sunset."

"Can you give us a little privacy, please?" Grace asked with her head hanging low. Her voice was filled with sorrow as she asked the police officers for a few minutes unsupervised with the prisoner.

In response, the woman turned to leave but turned and saw that the man was still standing there watching what was transpiring in the cell. She nudged him gently and they both left Grace and Loki in the room and stood a few feet away.

"I wish I could hold you right now." Grace said with a sorrowful voice. There were tears running freely down her face as she looked up into Loki's tranquil green eyes.

"Why can you not? Is it something they told you not to do?" Loki asked.

"No, I was angry when I heard that you had been arrested." Grace stopped speaking for a moment and wiped the tears away from her face. Then she continued speaking. "When I am angry, my gift becomes more of a curse. No one can touch me, nor I them, for at least a half hour after I calm down or my 'gift' works in reverse. I unintentionally drain the life energy out of them. I do not want to do that to you."

"I trust you. Besides, if that happens to me, at least I will perish in the arms of someone I love. Then, I will always be with you." Loki said quietly. He then lifted his bound hands and slowly put them around her neck tenderly. Nothing was happening. Loki was not losing his life energy. Grace then leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him and leaned her head against his chest and wept freely.

They remained in that tight embrace for a few moments and both Grace and Loki desperately wanted time to stop. But unfortunately, time stops for no one. It just marches on and on with no regard to anyone.

Loki whispered in her ear then, "I have something for you."

They separated then and Loki retrieved something from his pocket as Grace wiped the tears away from her eyes. Loki grasped whatever it was in his hand firmly as he looked back up at her and said, "Please think of me every time you look at this." He then opened his hand to reveal a black ring that he had fashioned out of his hair.

"Is this why you asked where I put the hair that you had given me?" Grace asked as she looked from the ring back up to Loki with shock clearly written on her face.

"That is correct." Loki answered with a weak smile on his pale face. "I want to spend the rest of my life at your side. I had planned to propose to you when I came back from dropping Beth off at school. But, alas, that happiness is not in store for me."

Grace gently took the ring out of his hand and slipped it on the ring finger of her left hand. Loki watched as she did this and saw another tear find its way down her sweet face. Once the ring was on her hand, Loki leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.

Tears continued to run down her face as she placed her hand on the right side of his face and kissed him back. With that kiss, Grace communicated how much she would miss him and Loki expressed how much his short time with her had meant to him. He knew where he was going after he died. That he would be able to experience a taste of heaven while he was still alive was enough for him.

"Time is up." Said the police woman. She had with a note of regret in her voice as she spoke.

Loki's and Grace's lips separated then and Grace whispered to him while they were still in each other's arms, "I will never forget you, my love."

Loki then felt a tear run down his face as he listen to her speak and as she stood up to walk away. She walked very slowly to the door and turned back to look at him when she reached the threshold. He did his best to give her a reassuring smile, but failed in the attempt.

As soon as Grace excited the room, the door was slammed shut and she looked back at it sorrowfully. She then turned to the police man and asked, "Who gives this command that you must follow through with it so thoroughly?"

"The mayor of the state of New York does." He answered point blankly. "There is nothing I can do about it."

Grace then turned around and marched as quickly as she could back to the door. She looked through the small window and saw Loki sitting on the bench with his head hanging down low. She knocked on the window then and Loki looked up and saw her standing at the window looking in at him. "I love you!" she shouted with tears running down her face.

Loki could not hear her, but he could tell what she was saying to him. A smile grew on his face as he stood and raised his hands to his lips and kissed them. Grace smiled weakly when she saw him do this. She then turned to the police man who was standing by the door and said to him, "Please, let me go in his place."

The man scoffed and said, "Now why would I do that?"

"Because," Grace stopped and looked back at the door and saw that Loki was still standing up watching her. She looked back at the police man and said, "I do not know. Just, please, do not kill him!"

The police woman put her hand on Grace's shoulder and said, "I am sorry. There is nothing we can do. Allow me to show you out."

Grace started to exit the station then with the police woman's arm around her back comfortingly. Loki watched as they left with a strange satisfied feeling deep inside him. At least he found love and that it was reciprocated before the end of his life.

Grace looked back at the door once they were a good distance away and could no longer see Loki in his cell. But her could see her. A tear ran down his face as her saw her look back two more times. He was really going to miss her.

Once they reached the lobby, Grace then walked over to retrieve her wheelchair and to head home. As she wheeled home you would have thought that the world was coming to an end. Her face was so somber in appearance that even people who passed her by felt a pang of sorrow when they saw her.

The birds held no interest for her anymore, nor did the changing colors in the horizon as the sun sank lower into the sky. When Grace reached her house, Beth came running up to her before she even entered through the door and asked, "What happened? Is Loki still in prison?"

"Yes he is. There is nothing I could do." Grace answered as she stood from her wheelchair and walked into the sitting room and sat down on the cot that Loki had slept on for the year that he was with them. She picked up the pillow that was lying at the head of the cot and held it close to her. As she held it close to her face she noticed that it smelled like him. A tear escaped her left eye then and ran down her face.

Beth saw this and walked up to Grace and sat beside her on the cot. She wrapped her little arms around her and buried her head in the pillow that was lying on Grace's lap. In response to this, Grace gently stroked Beth's hair as they both wept silently.

They sat there for what seemed like only a few minutes, but in reality it was probably more like an hour. Grace felt like it was all she could do not to breakdown in tears right there. For Beth's sake, she was not going to cry as hard as she wanted too.

After a few more moment, Grace whispered in Beth's ear, "You should go to bed, dear."

Beth sat up and looked into Grace's once bright and cheerful blue eyes, for they were now dark and clouded with sorrow as she held back the tears. Beth's dark green eyes were raw from crying so much and there were tear stains streaking down her face. "Can I sleep in your bed tonight?" Beth asked. Her little voice was shaking as she spoke in a hushed tone of voice. Grace kissed her forehead and smiled as a tear ran down the left side of the child's face.

"Of course you can." Grace answered with a saddened smile on her face.

Beth climbed off of the cot and walked slowly to Grace's room and got into bed. Once the door closed, Grace then started to sob bitterly. Tears stained her face as she thought that she would never again see Loki's face and experience the warmth of his embrace. Never again would she be able to witness the smile growing on his face as he watched Beth run around joyfully. She could no longer experience the ecstasy that grew in her innermost being when he kissed her in a way that only he could.

Grace then excited the house and climbed up onto the roof and sat down and watched the sun sinking into the west. She searched the sky for a reason why Loki had to be killed and found none. Yes, he had slain people in his past, but that does not mean anything about him in his present. She lay down on the roof where Loki had laid the night before. If only she had gone with him to drop Beth off a school, maybe none of this would have happened. With that thought, the tears began to stream down her face once more and she wailed loudly with sorrow as she thought of him.

Grace then looked at her left hand and saw the ring that Loki had made for her. A saddened grin spread across her face when she remembered what he told her when he gave it to her in his prison cell. He wanted to marry her. She would have said yes to him without a second thought. Without a single doubt in her mind.

Grace then sat up and descended from the roof and entered into the house. She heard a quiet whimper coming from her room and she knew who it was. Beth was lying on her bed mourning. Grace put a lunch together for Beth the next day and then headed back to her room. She entered slowly and saw Beth lying on her bed in a fetal ball crying. Grace walked over to her and lay down beside her on her bed.

"I miss Loki." Beth said as Grace wrapped her arms around the young child comfortingly.

"I do as well, Beth." Grace answered as she kissed her on the forehead.

"Will we ever see him again?" Beth asked as she looked up at Grace.

A tear then formed in Grace's eye as she listened to Beth's question. She knew that the chances were slim that they would ever see Loki again, but she did not want to tell her that. She knew it would break her heart. "Only time will tell, dear." Grace answered after a few moments of silent tears.

Beth fell asleep in a few moments leaving Grace lying there wide awake. Her mind ran over and over the events of that day and she could not understand why the police refused to let Loki go free. But, then again, she could a little bit. But, could they not tell by his expression that he was different now? Why did they have to kill him?

After about a half hour, Grace gradually fell asleep and dreamed of Loki. She dreamed of the good times they had together and a warm loving smile growing on his face. She also dreamed of the things that could have happened but were cut shot because of this untimely arrest.


	8. The Death of a Villain

A few hours ago, Dt. Anna looked around the large office that she was seated in with her deep blue eyes. The police woman who had watched Loki and Grace together was seated in a large plush office that had many expensive furnishing in it. She was seated in the mayor of New York's office. She was going to protest the execution that would take place in a few hours and see if she could get it canceled.

"I am sorry to keep you waiting." The mayor said as he came walking into the room. He was a tall man with kindly soft brown eyes and clean cut blonde hair. He was wearing a black well-tailored suit when he sat down in a plush chair behind a decorative wooden desk. He folded his hands together interlacing his fingers and rested them on his desk as he sat forward and flashed his flawless white smile. "What can I help you with?"

Anna sat forward and replied to him, "We captured the man who invaded the city a few years ago."

"That is wonderful! Why are you coming to me? Execute him." The mayor said as he looked down at some paper work on his desk.

"Because, there has been a new development." Anna answered.

The mayor looked up at her with his brown eyes hardening slightly. "What happened"? His voice was low and threatening as he spoke to her.

"It appears that the prisoner has changed." Anna responded.

"How is that possible? Monsters like him do not change!" The mayor shouted as he rose from his chair menacingly.

"I am not sure, but, I think we should stop the execution." Anna responded.

"Out of the question!" The mayor was turning red from anger as he protested the police woman's suggestion.

"Why?" Anna inquired.

"Because if we do not do this, the whole city will cry out to have me impeached! I said that when we catch him, he will be killed! He killed hundreds of people!" The mayor shouted at Anna.

After the mayor sat down in his chair and ran his hand through his hair, he said in a voice that was barely audible, "If he has truly changed, the most I can do is grant a stay of execution. I was not specific of when he would be killed, only that he would be. I will go and see him just to make sure that he is worthy of one before it is granted."

A large smile grew across Anna's face as she listened to the mayor speak. Now the mayor would be able to see this dramatic change. Then maybe he would consider letting Loki go free and just claim that he had escaped. Was that possible? For Grace's sake, she hoped so.

A few minutes later, the mayor of New York was on his way to the police station that was holding Loki captive. He entered and headed straight back to the cell that he was being held in. The other inmates were shouting and yelling at him as he sauntered past them in his smart suit and his blonde hair bushed back neatly. The lights shown down on him as he quickly strolled through the hall, his high cheek bones and a clenched jaw could clearly be seen.

Once he reached the room where Loki was being held, the police man who had been there earlier quickly opened the cell door so the mayor did not have to stop. The mayor grabbed a chair and brought it into the room with him as he entered through the threshold. Loki just glanced up at him with eyes that were laden with sorrow. When he saw who it was, he returned his gaze back to an unsightly mark on the floor.

"So," The mayor began. "I hear that you are different. If this is true, I am prepared to allow you to have a stay of execution for at most a day."

The mayor took a breath to continue speaking, but Loki cut him off. "It does not matter. You are going to kill me no matter what you decide." His voice was low and calm as he spoke and as Loki looked up at the mayor, the mayor saw a look of surrender and despair in his green eyes. "Why not kill me now and get it over with."

"Why are you so eager to have it over with?" There was a hint of curiosity in the mayor's voice when he responded to Loki. "Why, I thought you would be fighting for your life as most people do. You know, defend yourself."

Loki glanced down at the ground and said quietly, "Either way I will never see Grace again. I will never be able to gaze into her lovely blue eyes, never be able to feel her tender touch, and never be able to kiss her sweet lips again. Tell me," Loki then looked up at the mayor and he saw that there was a tear running down the left side of his face. "Why would I fight for a life without Grace?"

The mayor was taken aback by the sight of Loki with a tear running down his face and one in his eye trying to break free. Maybe he had changed. But that did not mean anything though; he was still going to be executed. "I am going to talk with the executioner, see if we can reschedule. Do you want this Grace to be at your execution?" The mayor asked.

Loki looked at him with a mixture of shock and horror in his eyes, "Oh goodness no!" He said. "Why would I want her to be there to see me perish? That does not seem to be very considerate." Loki leaned back against the wall and sighed. His eyes then got a far off look to them as he thought of the night he spent with Grace asleep in his arms. What he would not give for another night like that.

The mayor saw this far off look and quietly left the room. After the door was closed behind him, he turned to the police officer who was standing there by the door and asked, "Who is this Grace that he was speaking of?"

The police man answered him by saying, "She came in earlier today. Detective Anna knows where she lives. Should I tell her to go get Grace in the morning?"

The mayor fixed his shirt and responded, "No, we should honor his wishes. Just have Anna inform Grace that his execution has been delayed for one day. She can come see him if she wants too." That being said, the mayor left the police station to the sound of all of the inmates shouting and yelling at both him and each other.

The next morning, Grace was awakened from her slumber by a quick knock at the door. She had her arms wrapped around Beth tightly. Beth was sleeping soundly as her head rested on Grace's chest. As Grace watched her sleep, there came another sharp knock at the door, this one was more urgent then the last.

Grace carefully got out of bed while trying not to wake Beth. She casually walked to the front door as another knock came. "I am coming, I am coming." She shouted. "What could possibly be happening at the crack of dawn?" She grumbled under her breath.

When Grace reached the door and opened it she saw Lieutenant Anna standing there in her uniform. "What is going on?" She asked, shock clear in her voice.

Dt. Anna smiled and replied, "I just came to tell you that Loki's execution has been detained until tonight. You can come see him later if you would wish to."

Grace's blue eyes opened wide with excitement. "Can I bring Beth? I know she would love to see Loki."

Dt. Anna looked at her in confusion. "Who is Beth?"

"Beth is the young girl I took into my care a few years ago." Grace replied.

Dt. Anna thought about the question that was posed to her for a few minutes. "Possibly. I will have to ask my chief. But, I see no reason why not."

Grace smiled and walked as quickly as she could into the house leaving the front door open so Dt. Anna walked in to the house and closed the door behind her. Grace walked into her room and roused Beth from her sleep by gently placing her hand on her shoulder and whispering in her ear. "Hey, dear. Guess what?"

Beth yawned sleepily, stretched, and said, "What?" Her eyes were half open at the time that she was speaking.

"We can go see Loki today. Would you like that?" Grace answered with a smile.

Beth's eyes opened wide with eagerness as she listened to Grace speak to her. A large joyous smile spread across her face as she sat up and answered, "Oh yes! Can we bring him home too?"

Grace looked into the kitchen and saw Dt. Anna standing there watching events transpire in the opposite room. Dt. Anna's arms were crossed behind her back and she had a pleasant smile on her face as she observed Beth's response to Grace. She could not hear Beth's response to her guardian but it was apparent that she was excited about the possibility of seeing Loki.

Grace looked back at Beth and said, "I am not sure if we will be able to, dear." Grace pushed a strand of Beth's black hair behind her ear as she continued to speak. "But, at least we can visit him today."

Beth grinned and nodded her head happily. She then proceeded to jump out of bed and rushed into the bathroom to brush her shoulder length black hair as she looked into the small mirror. Grace walked out into the kitchen and asked Dt. Anna what the situation was surrounding Loki. In response, Dt. Anna looked down at the floor in despair. "I tried, Grace. I really did. The mayor will not cancel the execution. Not without jeopardizing his position. The best I could do was to get him to delay it by one day."

Grace grinned weakly and replied to her by saying, "Thank you for trying." She then placed her left hand on the Dt.'s arm warmly. Dt. Anna looked down at her hand and saw the black ring and with the way the light was hitting it seemed as if there was emerald dust in it. "Where did that come from?" Dt. Anna asked.

Grace looked at the ring on her hand and said, "It was a gift from Loki. He gave it to me yesterday." She fingered it tenderly as a tear form in her left eye. "He made it for me out of his own hair." Her voice was barely audibly as she spoke and fingered the ring.

At that moment, Beth came running out to join them in the kitchen and asked, "Can we go now?"

"Now? You want to go to the police station now?" Dt. Anna asked with shock clear in her voice. She clearly underestimated the bond that Loki had formed with these two.

Beth nodded her little head again and smiled.

Dt. Anna squatted down so she was about eye level with the young girl in front of her. "Are you sure that you want to go at this time of the day? Have you heard what happens at this time every day?" Her voice was low and quiet as she spoke to Beth.

"What happens?" Beth asked with her voice matching the tone of the Dt.'s voice.

"Why, all of the inmates turn into big hairy monsters for a few hours." Dt. Anna answered.

Beth believed her and got a worried look on her face as she inquired, "Even Loki?"

Dt. Anna smiled and answered, "No, he does not change. See he is in a special cell that prevents the transformation from affecting him."

"So we should wait a few hours, am I correct?" Grace asked as she put her hands tenderly on Beth's shoulders.

Dt. Anna stood back up and looked down into Grace's eager eyes. "Yes, that would be advisable. Since you are going to bring Beth, I will see if I can have Loki moved to a visiting station so you do not have to walk past all of the other inmates again."

"Thank you." Grace answered with a small smile upon her troubled face.

Dt. Anna then left the house with a quick nod of her head and a weak smile on her face. She wished she could do more for the two of them, but yet, she could not. She walked out the front door into the chilly morning air as both Grace and Beth watched her head back towards the police station from inside.

Once she was out of sight, Grace turned to Beth and said, "Well, since we have time before we go to see Loki, what would you like for breakfast? How about some eggs?"

Beth dramatically answered saying, "Not again! I have had eggs almost every day for a year!"

Grace giggled to herself slightly and replied to Beth, "I was only kidding, dear. I can make you some toast or something else if you like?"

With that, Grace closed the door and entered the kitchen and begun to make a meal for Beth and herself. As she prepared a meager meal of fruit and juice, thoughts of Loki filled her mind. She wondered if she could do something for him to ease his passing. As she cut through the fresh strawberries, a thought occurred to her. What if she was there holding his hand as he received the injection. She would be crying, but she would be there. Then it occurred to her that Loki may not be killed by a lethal injection. It may be an electric jolt or a firing squad that carries out this heinous act.

Grace then filled two small bowels with strawberries and to glasses with orange juice and brought them over to the table. As she and Beth sat there and ate, Grace thought of Loki as she ran her hands through her hair that was hanging lose to her shoulders. She then smiled to herself when she figured out something small that she could do for him.

At the prison, Loki was seated in a different room with two barred windows in it as he waited for an explanation. He was not told why he was relocated into this room. It was larger than the past room that he was in and this one had more furnishings in it. There was even a table and a few chairs around it.

At that moment, the door opened and a familiar voice called his name. He turned around and smiled as he saw Beth running towards him with outstretched arms. He knelt down and wrapped his arms around her lovingly as a small tear made its way down the right side of his face. They remained in this tight embrace for a few moments and when they parted, Loki said, "I am so glad to see you. But what are you doing here?"

"Dt. Anna came to see us earlier. She said we can come see you today." Beth answered.

"We?" Loki echoed. Did Grace come as well? He looked up eagerly and was shocked when he saw Grace walking towards wearing a green shirt and a black skirt that came down to her ankles. She was using her cane with her left hand as she reached out to him with her right. Loki grinned slightly as he stood up and walked the few steps up to her and took her hand. He then proceeded to kneel down on his knees as he bent low and kissed her hand tenderly.

Grace smiled shyly and said, "Loki, I just held my hand out for you to hold it."

"I know." Loki answered quietly as he stayed on his knees for a few more moments. He caressed her hand with soft kisses for the few moments he was on his knees.

Grace smiled and shook her head slightly as she said, "Loki, please stand up." He stood up and was now standing in front of her and he gazed lovingly into her soft blue eyes. His arms wrapped around her waist as she gazed tenderly into his adoring green eyes.

"What are you two doing here?" He asked with a tinge of sorrow in his voice.

Grace placed her right hand on the side of his face and responded to him in a tender calm voice, "We heard that your execution has been delayed so, we came to see you." Loki then looked down at the ground in shame.

"I just wish it was under better circumstances though." Loki said.

"True." Grace agreed.

Beth then tugged on Loki's pants and he turned and knelt down and asked her, "What can I help you with, sweetheart?" There was a smile on his face as he spoke and Grace wished she had a picture of him so she could see his lovely face day in and day out. There was also a large amount of sorrow behind his eyes. Grace hopped that Beth could not see it.

"I am going to miss you." Beth answered as she looked into his eyes. She then looked down at the ground as a tear ran down her face.

Loki then place his hand gently under Beth's chin and lifted her gaze to meet his tender green eyes. Once their eyes meet, Loki said, "I am going to miss you too. But guess what?"

"What?" Beth asked as she waited expectantly for an answer.

"Keep me in your heart and I will never leave you." Loki answered as he pointed to her heart.

Beth smiled and wrapped Loki in a tight warm embrace. Keeping his arms wrapped around her tightly, Loki stood and turned to Grace and extended one of his hands to welcome her into the hug. She joined them and they remained there for a few moments.

Dt.'s Anna and Greg watched from a distance to make sure that nothing incriminating was occurring. Greg just looked on with a placid expression on his face as he saw Loki kiss the woman's hand that came to see him and as he embraced both of the two. Anna, however, was a completely different story. Tears formed in her eyes as she watched the events unfold in front of her. When she heard what he said to Beth, she lost it. Tears began to flow freely down her face as she tried to wipe them away in vain.

Once they all separated from the embrace and Loki had sat Beth on the table so she was about shoulder height to him, Grace said to him, "Can you please hold out your hand?"

Loki did as he was asked with a small smile on his face as Grace placed her hand over his and slowly opened it and something soft fell into the palm of his hand. Once Grace had taken her hand away, Loki was shocked to see some of her hair in the palm of his hand. It was all braided and neatly tied with a simple red ribbon as it lay gently in his hand.

Loki then looked up at her and saw that Grace had indeed cut her hair to be about a little below her ears. A tear began to flow from his right eye as he asked, "Why are you giving me this?" He asked in a quiet voice that could only be audible to her.

Grace took one step forward and looked up into his green eyes as she gently took his hands. "Because I never want to leave your side. I love you, Loki. You will be in my heart forever."

Loki then pulled her into a tight embrace and they stayed that way for a few moments. Then, Loki pulled away and asked her with a soft voice, "May I have this dance?"

Grace smiled and answered, "That may be a bit difficult, seeing that there is no music playing."

"Does that really matter?" Loki answered sweetly. He then took a step back and offered his hand to her. Suddenly, soft music began to play and Grace looked up at the ceiling and saw that there were no speakers. Dt. Anna must be using her phone for the music and playing it loud enough to be heard by them. Dt. Greg had turned and walked away with an exasperated look upon his face when the music began playing.

Grace reached out to grasp Loki's hand, but she paused and whispered "I would like to. But," Grace smiled a shy smile as she looked down at the floor in shame. "I do not know how to dance?"

Loki smiled lovingly down at her sweet bashful face. With her cheeks flushing and her blue eyes that drew the love out of him looking at the ground in guilt, Grace appeared to be the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. A delicate white hand was placed gently under her chin and raised her downcast eyes to meet his bright green eyes. Loki's thin pale lips parted and a voice like velvet issued forth as he said, "I can teach you."

Then Loki instructed her put one of her hands around his waist and the other in his hand. When she did so, he did the same with his hands. Grace then laid her head on his orange jump-suit clad chest and a small tear found its way down her face. Then they began to sway smoothly to the song that was playing as he rested his head on top of hers.

Beth sat at one of the many tables that was in the room and watched the two of them swayed to the music slowly. She noticed that Graces eyes were shut with fresh tears running down her face as if she was trying to imagine herself elsewhere and Loki's saddened green eyes were open as he tried to think of a way to comfort the love of his life as she wept in his arms. They both knew that this would be the last time that they would ever see each other.

The song 'I Believe' by Josh Groban came to a close and their dance came to a halt. Once they came to a complete stop, Grace looked up at Loki and smiled weakly at him. He smiled back and leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on the lips. She returned the kiss as tears continued to stream down her face.

Then, Dt. Greg stormed into the room shouting at the top of his lungs, "Break it up! Your time is up! Time to go!" Immediately after Grace let go of Loki, Greg grabbed his arm, and began to forcefully lead him out of the room. Even though there was much protesting and shouting from Grace and Loki, he was still being forced out of the room. But suddenly, Loki stopped protesting because he felt arms around him so he looked down. Beth had managed to sneak up to him during the commotion and stand on his feet and embrace him tightly.

Loki smiled as he looked at the young child with her arms wrapped tightly around him and he turned to Dt. Greg and asked quietly, "Can you give me a moment, please?"

Dt. Greg thought about it for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, he swiftly nodded his head and released Loki's arm and walked about two steps away. Loki then squatted down and opened his arms wide for Beth. He did not have long to wait because immediately afterwards, Beth ran into his open arms and wrapped her little arms around his neck as tears ran down her face. The force of her running into his arms almost knocked him over. He chuckled as he righted himself and returned her tight loving hold.

With one arm around Beth, Loki reached the other one out for Grace who walked towards him and took his hand. She then struggled to her knees and he wrapped his other arm around her tenderly. Loki kissed both of them on the forehead as they all sat there in the warm embrace for a few minutes.

Then, Dt. Greg walked up to them and cast a menacing shadow over the three of them. "Time to go!" He said with irritation in his voice.

Loki looked up at him and responded by asking, "May I at least have one last dance with Beth?"

Beth then looked up at Loki and smiled weakly. She then looked over at Dt. Greg and pleaded with her dark green eyes. Greg broke down almost immediately and responded, "Alright, you can have one. Just one!"

Loki then stood and helped Grace to her feet. He then turned to Beth and offered his hand to her as he bowed low while saying, "May I have this dance?"

Beth jumped into his arms and wrapped her little arms around his waist as she stood on his feet. Loki then picked her up in his arms and began to sway to the music that Dt. Anna was once again playing on her phone for them. This time it was 'Hidden Away' by Josh Groban. Grace watched with tears forming in her eyes when she realized that this was the last dance that Beth and Loki would ever share.

They spun and swayed to the song that was playing. Beth had buried her head in his chest as she tried to hide her tears. She knew now what was happening and that she would never see him again. Loki smiled down at her as the song continued and they continued to dance together.

Once the song ended and he set her down on her feet, Beth asked if Loki could lean over for her and when he did Beth kissed him on the cheek warmly and said, "I wish you did not have to die. I would have loved to have you as a daddy."

Grace then walked up to them and said quietly, "He already is, dear."

Loki then looked up at Grace and saw the ring that he had given her still on her hand. He reached out for her and when she took his hand he saw a vision of her walking down the aisle with a white wedding gown and a veil over her face. Then he saw himself walking into a hospital room and he saw Grace lying on the bed holding their newborn child in her arms. Then he was sitting on a park bench with her as they watched Beth run around and play with their children.

Grace saw this vision as well and she started to weep as she looked into his green eyes afterwards when she realized that these things would never come to pass. Loki noticed this and pulled her into a tight embrace as his eyes watered as well. Suddenly, Grace collapsed in his arms and began to shake and tremor.

Loki held her tightly as her body tensed and went limp and the police officers called for a medic. Tears fell from his eyes as he held Grace in his arms as she continued to shake. A few moments later, the medics arrived and pried her out of his grasp with much effort. Grace lye there just out of reach as the police officers handcuffed him and the medics attempted to treat her for some unknown aliment. She reached a trembling hand out for him and he screamed her name as the cops tried to hold him back. There were cold tears running down Beth's face as she looked from Grace to Loki and back again. She then rushed over to Graces side as she was lifted onto a gurney and put into an ambulance.

Eventually, Loki was dragged out of the room as he continued to call her name at the top of his lungs and thrown into solitary confinement as Grace was rushed to the hospital in the ambulance with Beth at her side. Once Loki was in his cell, Dt. Greg began questioning him with aggression in his voice, "What did you do to her?" Greg slammed the palms of his hands on a table that was in the room.

Loki rose and shouted at him in a voice that was coated in anger, "I did not do anything to Grace! I love her! Why would I harm her?!"

"She was in your arms when she collapsed! You refused to let her go!" Greg continued to shout as he reached for something that was tucked into the back of his pants.

Loki, undauntedly, continued to shout back at Greg. "Of course I did not let her go! I love her and I did not want to leave her to your healers to poke and prod her only to realize that they have no idea what they are dealing with!" He was encroaching on Dt. Greg with rage clear in his green eyes. "I was by her side the past year when that same thing happened to her every month! It lasted for a half hour almost every time! Never once did I leave her side! She was there for me when I needed her! As I intend to be there for her!"

Suddenly, a bolt of electricity ran through his body. Loki shook for a few moments and fell to the ground as Dt. Greg held his discharged Taser out in front of him. Dt. Anna came into the room then and looked at Loki lying on the ground and asked Greg, "What happened?"

Greg put his Taser back in its hiding spot and answered Anna, "He was getting aggressive. He was about to attack me." His voice was calm as he spoke and he glared down at Loki who was still lying on the ground face first.

Meanwhile at the hospital, Grace had stopped trembling a few moments after she was placed onto a hospital bed and strapped in. She immediately began to call for two people. Beth came running to her side instantly and took her hand. "Loki is still at the prison, Grace."

"Where are we?" Grace asked as she looked about the room with a look of terror in her blue eyes.

"We are in the hospital." Beth answered.

A few moments later, Dt. Anna walked into the room with her cap off and a sad look on her face. "Grace, I have bad news." She began. "Loki's execution has been rescheduled. He is to be killed in an hour instead of at sunset like originally planned."

"What?" Grace asked quietly. It was almost like someone had let all of the air out of the room. Grace could not breathe for a few moments as she struggled digested the news that she had just received. Once she could speak again, she asked, "What happened?"

"He assaulted Dt. Greg. That along with the fact that he seemed to cast some sort of tremoring spell over you tells us that he has indeed not changed at all. He is scheduled for a lethal injection at four o'clock. I am so sorry." Dt. Anna told them with sorrow clear in her voice.

Beth started to sob bitterly then and she buried her face in the hospital bed that Grace laid on. Dt. Anna took something out of her pocket and walked a few steps into the room. She then looked up at Grace and said, "Loki wanted me to give this to you yesterday, but I forgot that I had it. Here." She then put a piece of folded up paper onto Grace's lap and backed up a few steps. "Best wait to read that until you get home." She then left the room leaving Beth and Grace weeping in the hospital room.

At the prison, Loki was sitting alone in the dark of his cell as thoughts of earlier that day filled his mind. Had he really caused that to happen to Grace? He felt terrible even if it was not his fault. He placed his head in his hands as he waited for the sun to set. He was not aware that his execution had been moved up or who would be administering the punishment.

Loki then remembered that Grace had given him a gift of her hair for him to hold as he was being executed. He pulled it out of his pocket and held it in his hand as he gazed down at it. A small smile grew on his face as he gazed at the braid in his hand. He was then filled with the courage to face what was coming to him.

Then, the door swung open and Dt. Greg stood in the entryway with a smug smile on his face as he said, "It is time to go. Your time has come."

"But it is not sunset yet?" Loki protested.

"Your execution has been moved up." Came the quick unaffected answer.

Loki then stood up and allowed himself to be lead to the execution room. Once they reach their destination, Loki saw it was a small room with a chair in the middle of it and a strange looking machine beside it. The machine was being tended to by several doctors as they inserted a suspicious vial in it.

Loki was seated in this chair and he was strapped in. Then a needle was inserted into his arm and blinds were drawn revealing to Loki that there were at least twenty people sitting on the other side of glass windows about to watch him die. He thought there was something incredibly wrong about people just watching others as they die. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a familiar figure.

Loki looked to his left and saw his mother was there walking up to him. She gracefully waltzed up to him and took his outstretched hand and bent over and whispered something in his ear. When she did this, Loki felt and amazing sense of calm come over him. She had said to him, "You will see her again."

At that moment, the injection went into his arm and under his skin. It was a truly horrible experience. Loki could feel as every cell in his body died. He screamed in pain as he clutched the braid of hair tightly in his hand. Images of his life flashed before his eyes. Being raised on Asgard, playing with his brother, his mother teaching him magic. But most of all, he remember the pain of isolation. He remembered being told that he was a Frost Giant and a monster.

Then images of all the wrong that he had done flashed in his mind. People running and screaming from him. The cruel laugh that would escape his lips as they ran from him. He remembered killing people. Then he remembered Grace. The one who had showed him that there was still some good in him. The one who saw him at his worst and still choose to love him.

Loki remembered her bright blue eyes so full of love as they gazed into his. He remembered the feel of her hand as it rested on his chest. What he had thought of himself his entire life; Grace had changed in an instant.

Loki faded out of consciousness as he thought of Grace. His hand opened and the braid fell onto the floor. Loki had breathed his last. His last thought was of Grace kissing him on the lips softly.

Meanwhile, a car pulled up to the house and both Grace and Beth exited and entered through the front door. It was dark inside and as Grace flicked the lights on and she was shocked to see that there were at least ten bouquets of flowers strewn about on the kitchen counter and table. Beth walked up to one and opened the card that was beside it and said, "It is a sympathy bouquet. Grace, what is 'sympathy'?"

Grace then walked up to another bouquet of blue flowers and read the card that said, 'We are so sorry for your loss. Loki was a great man and he will be dearly missed.' Grace read a few more of the cards with a placid expression on her face. She answered Beth's question by saying, "It is another way of saying sorry."

Grace then remembered that Dt. Anna had given her a letter from Loki while she was in the hospital so she walked into the sitting room and sat on his cot. She pulled the letter out of her bag and unfolded it. In Loki's beautiful handwriting, it read:

**My dearest Grace,**

**Please do not cry for me. I have lived a full life, all though none of it was worth living until I met you. You have taught me far more then you realize. During this past year that I was at your side, I have experienced humility, gratitude, peace, and forgiveness. Even though you try to deny it, you have also taught me how to love again. I will bravely go to my end in the knowledge that I have experienced the love of an angel, even though I am far from worthy. What have I ever done to deserve to have you by my side for the last year of my life? **

**I will always stay in your lovely heart as long as I am welcome. Please think of me every now and again.**

**Thank you.**

**Loki Laufeyson**

**P.S. I love you.**

Grace then put the letter close to her heart as fresh cold tear ran down her face. She contemplated telling Beth what the letter said, but then she figured that it was just for her to know. Beth then came over and sat next to her on the cot and wrapped her arms around her waist. Grace stroked Beth's hair as the sun continued to sink lower into the sky.

A few weeks later up on Asgard, a figure clothed in a long black cape and leather pants excited from the castle doors. His strong purposeful stride was rather quick. It was almost as if he did not want to be caught. He held a basket that was full to the brim with food from the most recent banquet in his pale grasp. He rounded the corner and lowered his hood as he entered the shadows and saw a few figures lying on the ground.

The man then pulled out a loaf of freshly baked bread from the basket in his hand and gave it to one of the figures who thanked him with a large smile as they started to eat it eagerly. He passed the items of food that was in his basket out to the hungry Asgardiens who were in the alley as his green eyes glimmered in the pale moon light.

Once it was all distributed, he pulled his hood back up and left the way he came and reentered the castle.


	9. Gives Rise to a Hero

All of the chapter titles (save chapters 8 &amp; 9) are titles of songs by Josh Groban.

If you wish to listen to them, they can be found on YouTube or Spotify.

Grace opened her eyes and sat up. She stretched and tried to smile but she could only manage a half grin. It had been close to a month since Loki had been executed. She put her brace on and stood. She walked into the kitchen and started to make coffee for herself. She hated the taste, but it reminded her of Loki. As she waited for it, she put a lunch together for Beth.

Beth then woke up and entered the kitchen, sat at the table, and picked up the mythology book and opened it to a random page. The page that it opened on was about the Norris god of mischief. Beth looked at the picture and turned to Grace and called her over. Without a word, Grace came over to see what Beth was calling to her about. When she saw the picture, her jaw dropped. It was almost a perfect likeness of Loki himself. "What does it say?" Beth asked.

Grace could not hear her question. She was entranced by the drawing in the book. The only difference between this drawing and the real thing was his eyes. Loki had an intense love in his eyes that no photo or drawing could ever do justice. As she gazed at the drawing, it seemed to change right before her eyes. Instead of a stern look, a warm and loving smile seemed to form on the face of the drawing. Beth watched as a smile formed on Grace's face. She looked down at the drawing and noticed that it was now smiling at both of them.

Then, there was a knock at the door and Grace was snapped out of her trance. She walked over to see who it was and when she opened the door. Detective Anna stood there waiting with a smile on her face. "What can I help you with?" Grace asked dryly.

"I just came by to see how you are handling everything." Anna answered.

Grace walked into the kitchen then and Dt. Anna followed her in. Beth was sitting at the table trying desperately to read what was written about Loki. Grace slammed the book shut as she said to Anna, "We are fine." She then walked further into the kitchen and pored herself a cup of coffee.

"You do not look fine." Dt. Anna said suspiciously. As Grace sipped her coffee as she held the mug with her left hand and the ring that Loki had given her was still on her finger. Anna pointed at it and asked, "You still wear it?"

"Of course I do." Grace responded coldly as she drank her coffee and grimaced with every sip.

"Why do you continue to drink that if you do not care for the taste?" Dt. Anna asked.

Grace set down her coffee and replied to Dt. Anna by saying, "Loki enjoyed it. I drink it so I can feel closer to him."

Dt. Anna nodded her head and looked down at Beth and asked, "What do you do to feel closer to Loki?"

Beth looked up at her and answered with a somber note to her voice, "I just try to read. When I do, I hear his voice helping me."

Detective Anna nodded her head and opened her mouth to speak but got cut off. "If you would be so kind as to stop interrogating us and go about your job. You know, the one you are paid for, we have to get on with our day." Grace shouted at her with an amount of venom in her voice that Dt. Anna had never heard before. It caught both Anna and Beth off guard and they both stared at her in silence for a few minutes.

Grace's once kind blue eyes were now hard and untrusting as she glared at Dt. Anna. Once she got her voice back, Dt. Anna asked, "Why are you angry with me?"

Grace slammed her coffee mug down on the counter and shouted, "Because you come back to see us almost twice a day! You ask us the same questions every time! It is annoying! I want it to end!"

"I cannot help that I have a bad memory." Detective Anna protested.

"Oh... Like you had such a bad memory when it came to Loki!" Grace shouted.

"I did all that I could for him." Dt. Anna disputed as she slowly back out of the kitchen.

Grace followed her shouting the whole time, "You helped alright. You helped identify him! You helped catalog him! You helped slap those cuffs on him! You probably even helped with the execution!"

"I did no such thing." Dt. Anna objected as she reached the door and backed out of the house.

"Do not argue with me! You call it a job, but what it really is murder! Now I do not want to see you in my house again!" With that said Grace slammed the door in front of Dt. Anna's face and stormed back into the kitchen and resumed drinking her coffee.

Beth just stared at Grace with her jaw hanging open. Grace stood there for a few moments before she realized that it was almost time for Beth to go to school. She composed herself and turned to Beth and smiled saying, "It is time to start getting ready for school, dear."

"No it is not." Beth answered cautiously. "It is Saturday."

Grace looked at the calendar on the wall and said, "Oh… So it is." Grace looked down at the ground and sighed a heavy sorrow filled sigh. Her now short brown hair hung in front of her eyes to hide the fact that her eyes were becoming clouded with tears. She turned to Beth and said, "I am going to go lie down in my room. You can go see Liza or something like that."

"Alright." Beth answered as she watched Grace walk back to her room slowly.

When the door closed, Beth jumped up and ran to her room and got down on all fours by her bed. She reached for something that was under her bed and she pulled it out and ran back out to the kitchen. When she sat down she looked down at the small box in her hand and lifted the lid slowly. Resting peacefully in the base of the box was a wilted flower. It was brown and dry as she viewed it but the petals still held a slight blue and purple hue to them. It was the flower that Loki had given to her. It had started to wilt about a month ago when he died.

At that moment, the door opened and footsteps came in the house. Beth perked up because she thought it was Loki coming into the house. Even though she knew he had been killed, she still hoped to see him again. She was disappointed when she saw who it was that rounded the corner in to the kitchen. It was Jane. She smiled when she saw Beth sitting there waiting eagerly. The smile vanished from her face when she noticed that Beth slumped down in her chair disappointedly.

Jane could tell immediately that something had occurred. "Hey, what happened?" She asked as she sat down across from the sad child.

"Loki is gone. Grace cannot tell what day it is. And my flower is dying. Take your pick." Beth answered as she rested her head on her hands that were folded on the table.

"Loki left? Do you know where he went?" Jane asked as her anger rose in her voice.

"To heaven I hope." Beth answered in a monotone voice.

Jane then felt her anger melt away. "Loki died? How? When?"

"Yes. The police men killed him a month ago." Beth responded.

Jane did not know how to feel. On one hand, she was glad that this menace had been done away with. On the other hand, what was Grace going to do now that Loki was dead?

Jane looked down at Beth and asked, "Where is Grace?"

"She is in her room." Beth responded as she gazed at the wilting flower.

Jane cautiously walked back to Grace's room and knock on the door. No response came so she just opened the door and entered the room. She saw Grace lying on her bed in a fetal ball as she wept silently. The room was dark as Jane entered silently and looked around to find that it was completely trashed. There were clothes strewn about the floor and trash wrappers and other items all over the place. It was evident that Grace was hurting in some way and would not let Beth know about it. Jane knew what it was that was ailing her friend. It was heartbreak. She had experienced the same thing.

Jane walked up to the bed and, placing her hand on Grace's shoulder, said softly, "I am here to take care of Beth if you just want to lye here for a bit."

A quiet voice that was barely audible answered her by saying, "Thank you." Jane patted Grace on the shoulder gently and turned to leave the room while carefully trying to avoid stepping on all of the items on the floor.

Jane reached the door and looked back at Grace before she excited the room and she saw Grace lying on the bed staring at the wilted flower on her bedside table. Jane closed the door behind her and turned into the kitchen, put on a brave face, and sat next to Beth. "What is there to do around here?" She asked with a warm smile on her face.

Beth smiled weakly back at her and answered, "You can read to me."

"I would love to." Jane smiled as Beth picked up the book of mythology and opened the book to the page about Loki.

Meanwhile up on Asgard, Hiemdall was watching the events of the house unfold before his eyes. The guard of the Bifrost had seen many things in his time, but none could compare to the one that he saw before him. Grace was completely distraught by Loki's departure from her. She truly loved him.

"What is she doing today, Hiemdall?" Asked a soft kind voice beside him.

"Same thing as yesterday. She is just lying on her bed weeping." Hiemdall answered. He turned to face this new arrival at the guard post and he smiled and said, "It is nice to see you again."

"I wish we were meeting under better circumstances." His mysterious guest responded as he took a step forward and strained his eyes to see something. He eventually gave up and said to himself, "I would give anything just to see her one last time."

Hiemdall chuckled under his breath and said, "You know as well as I that you will end up staying with her and you will not come back."

"It is not like anyone here will miss me." He answered with a hint of sorrow in his voice as those words exited his thin pale lips.

"I would miss your daily visits." Heimdall answered as he smiled at his visitor.

He turned to face Heimdall then and looked in his golden eyes and asked, "Could you send me down to see her?"

"Not without the All Fathers consent." Heimdall answered.

"I do not care about that!" He shouted. "I just," He paused and looked into space with sorrow clear in his green eyes. He then looked back at Heimdall and finished his statement, "I just want to hold her in my arms and tell her that I love her. I want to tell her that she has never once left my thoughts."

Heimdall thought for a few moments and it seemed like an eternity. The man who wanted to see Grace so ardently turned to leave but Heimdall stopped him by saying, "Tonight. I will open the bridge for you tonight while everyone is asleep. But you must come back before dawn."

He turned and smiled weakly back at Heimdall and thanked him. Then he left the Bifrost guard post and walked down the Rainbow Bridge and back into the castle.

Later, back on earth, Grace was up from her bed and was cleaning up from dinner as Jane read to Beth in the sitting room. She tried to listen to the riddles being read but she found it hard to focus. Thoughts of Loki filled her mind. She remember that at times while she was washing dishes Loki would walked up behind her and stick his finger in the soap suds then put it on the tip of her nose. She always found it irritating when others did it to her, but when Loki did it, it was cute and funny.

Grace also remembered Beth running through the house squealing at the top of her lungs. When she would check to see what was wrong she would she Loki chasing her with a smile on his face as he said, 'The tickle monster is coming for you.'

There were several other things that Grace remembered as she washed the dishes. Jane and Beth were just finishing up the book when the young girl began to yawn. Jane saw this and closed the book mid-riddle and said to Beth, "You had better go to bed."

"One more, please!" Beth begged. It was all to no avail for Jane could see that she was tired and she had plans for the three of them tomorrow. Hopefully, it will take Grace's mind off of Loki. At least for a moment.

After Beth had run off to bed, Jane walked up to Grace and said, "Why don't you go to bed. I can finish this." Grace thought about fighting for a split second but then decided that it was no use. Besides, sleep was better than real life. At least she could see Loki in her dreams.

Grace walked off to bed and Jane finished cleaning the dishes from dinner. After Jane was finished, she left a few things on the table and then left the house and she closed the door behind her.

A few hours later, there came a soft knock on the door that roused Grace from a dream where she was walking in the park hand in hand with Loki. She just lay in bed for a few moments because she did not realize that there was someone at the door. The knock then sounded again. It was slightly louder this time and Grace begrudgingly sat up and put her brace on. The knocking sounded once again as she walked to the door and she shouted, "What is wrong with you. Do you not sleep?"

The knocking persisted and when she reached the door and swung it open she almost shouted, "What could you want at this time of night?" But her voice caught in her throat when she saw who was at the door. Standing there in black leather boots, leather pants, a golden breastplate, and a long green cape was none other than Loki. He was mid-knock as she opened the door and his hand was up in the air. He lowered his hand and smiled warmly at her and said with a soft tender voice with love in his green eyes, "Hello Grace. I missed you."

Grace was stunned. She stared at him wide eyed as Loki stood in front of her large as life. Was she still dreaming? She had heard of waking up from one dream only to find yourself in another. So they just stood there and stared at each other for a few moments until Loki reached forward and touched her hand. After that initial touch, Grace realized that this was not a dream and that Loki really did stand in front of her.

Grace then pulled him into a tight embrace and wept onto his neck. "I missed you too, Loki. More than you will ever know." They remained in that tight embrace for about ten minutes then Grace pulled away and asked him sweetly, "Would you like to come inside?"

"Yes, I would like that very much!" Loki smiled as he answered.

They almost entered the house when Grace turned back around and said, "On second thought, the house is a mess. How about we go onto the roof? Do you mind?"

Loki chuckled lightheartedly and answered, "It does not matter where we go, Grace. As long as I am with you, I am content." He smiled at her then and she realized just how much she had missed him. Once they were up on the roof, Grace could contain herself no longer. She leaned in a kissed him on the lips. Loki kissed her back and the two of them shared their most passionate kiss yet.

Loki then fell backwards onto his back and landed with a thud on the roof and Grace pulled away and quickly apologized. Loki just chuckled and gently grasped her hand and affectionately kissed it as he remained on his back looking up at her. She then rested her hand on his chest and leaned forward over him and kissed him on the lips once again. There was a smile on both of their faces as they shared a quiet moment together up on the roof.

After the kiss, Loki said to her, "I want you to know that all through this past month, never once have you left my thoughts. I love you, Grace." Grace smiled in response and lay down on his chest.

"You never left my thoughts either. There were times were I could not even get out of bed in the morning because I knew that you would not be there." Grace answered sweetly as she cuddled up to him.

Loki noticed that she was cold again so he sat up and Grace sat up with him and watched as he took his cape off and wrapped it around her shoulders. She giggled as he wrapped his arms around her and lay back on the roof. They laid there for a few moments just enjoying each other's presence when Loki looked down at her left hand. He picked it up and tenderly examined her hand in the soft moonlight.

Grace giggled lightly and asked, "What are you doing?"

"I am imagining a golden ring on your finger in place of this one made of hair that you are still wearing." Loki admitted.

"I do not care if it is golden or made out of hair. It is from you." Grace answered as she closed her eyes and smiled.

Loki kissed her forehead then and placed his right hand behind his head as his left arm remained wrapped around Grace. She soon fell asleep in his arms and he saw a shooting star streak across the sky. He whispered quietly to himself, "I wish I never had to leave Grace's side." He knew that wishing on a star was just a silly Midgardian superstition but he could not stop himself.

A few hours later, Loki saw the sun beginning to rise. He looked at it in sorrow for he knew what that day would bring. He would have to leave her again. He began to stand up and Grace was roused from her slumber and she asked with her eyes still closed, "What is going on, Loki?"

"I am carrying you to your bed. You need to sleep." Loki answered with a hint of sorrow in his voice. Grace did not hear it for she was still half asleep. Loki descended from the roof and entered the house and walked towards her room. Once he entered he laid her on her bed. He saw the wilted flower by her bed stand and smiled. There was also a bit of his hair there. He sat on the edge of the bed for a few moments and waved his hand over the flower. It immediately started to come back to life. The browns changed to a healthy green, blue, and purple.

Loki then stood up and kissed Grace sweetly on the forehead and whispered to her, "Sleep well, Grace. I love you."

As Loki began to leave the room, Grace opened her eyes and looked at him. "Where are you going?"

Loki turned to face her and saw a saddened look on her sleepy face. "I have to get back to Asgard. I will see you again tomorrow night though. I promise."

Grace shook her head and sat up as she said, "No. You are not going anywhere. You are staying with me tonight."

Loki smiled and said to her softly, "Grace, I really need to get back."

"But I need you to stay here with me. Please, Loki." Grace begged him.

Loki gave in to her sad blue eyes and said, "Alright, I will go lie down in the sitting room." He turned to the door then and as soon as he touched the doorknob, Grace objected.

"I read about you. How you are supposed to be a master of deceit. You could be just saying that to appease me. As soon as you leave this room, you could be gone for good. I am not taking any of that from you." Grace protested.

Loki smiled and asked, "Then where am I supposed to sleep?"

Grace thought for a moment and moved over closer to the wall and answered him by saying, "In bed with me." She patted the empty side of her bed and Loki took a few steps forward.

Loki stopped in his tracks and protested, "Are you sure about this? I may start screaming in your ear."

Grace smiled and responded, "If that happens, I will just wrap my arms around you and kiss you until you stop."

Loki smiled then and climbed into bed with her. Grace pulled his arms around her as she snuggled into bed with a contented smile on her face. They both closed their eyes at the same time but you can probably guess who fell asleep first.

Once Grace was asleep, Loki carefully got out of bed and pulled the covers up over her shoulders. He stood there and watched her sleep for a few moments then he saw the rising sun out her window. A heavy-hearted sigh escaped his lips as he looked back at Grace asleep in her bed.

He then turned to leave and paused for a moment as if he was waiting for Grace to say something to him. When none came, Loki looked back at her and smiled. He would be back to see her tomorrow night. He exited the room and pulled the door shut behind him. Loki then went into Beth's room to check on her. He found her lying on her bed with an open box lying beside her on the bed.

Curious, Loki took a few steps forward and looked into the box. What he saw made him smile. It was both the flower he had given her and the drawing that she had drawn for him all folded up. He took the few remaining steps forward and waved his hand over the flower in the box and watched as it sprang back to life as well. He then leaned forward and kissed Beth on the forehead and left the room.

Loki then left the house almost exactly how he had found it. Aside from bringing the flowers back to life, he left his cape in Grace's room draped over top of her and he left a little wild flower that he had found as he walked the gardens of Asgard in the box that Beth was holding onto so tightly. It was a small delicate pale blue blossom that was incredibly beautiful. When he saw it, that small flower reminded him of Beth and he had to pick it for her.

He left the house then and immediately stepped into the Bifrost and returned to Asgard.

That morning, Grace stretched and smiled. She remembered that Loki had come to see her last night and that he had spent the night with her. "Good morning, my love." She said as she rolled over. When she saw the other side of her bed, the smile vanished from her face. There was no one there. She was dreaming of him again.

Grace then sat up and put on her brace with a somber look on her face. She walked into the kitchen and started to prepare a breakfast for Beth. She opened the fridge and was reminded of Loki yet again when she saw the last bit of food that he had obtained for them inside the fridge. It was a hunk of cheese. Grace sighed and pulled it out of the fridge and closed the door. She then began to prepare some grilled cheese sandwiches for her daughter.

Beth then awoke from her slumber and ran out of her room with the box in her grasp and an excited smile on her face. "Hey Grace, guess what?"

Grace smiled as she turned to the young child that was rushing up to her with an elated expression on her face. "What is it, sweetheart?" She asked with a hint of sorrow in her voice that had become a common occurrence for her.

Undeterred by this, Beth reached into the box that she was holding in her hand and pulled out a flower. It was the flower that Loki had given to her. It had come back to life! The vivid purple and blue notes sang out as loud as ever as the light from the early morning sun shown in on it. The petals seemed to glow with green light as the sun beams rested on it.

Grace's jaw dropped as she asked, "Could you hold on one moment, please?" She then walked as quickly as she could back to her room and looked at her bedside table. A large smile spread across her face when she saw that her flower from Loki had come back to life as well. When she walked over to pick it up, she noticed a new addition to her table. Beside the flower as it lye on the table was a note with Loki's beautiful handwriting on it.

Grace picked up the flower first and noticed that there was more of a purple hue to hers then there was to Beth's. She then picked up the note and tucked it into her pocket. Grace then left the room with the flower in her hand and when she entered the kitchen, Beth gasped. She ran up to Grace and said, "Yours came back to life as well." She gently fingered the flower. "Was there anything else left in your room? I had a little blue flower left in my treasure box." Beth said as she gingerly lifted a small intricate flower into the light.

Grace looked at the blue flower in Beth's outstretched hand and was lost in thought. Was it possible that last night was not a dream at all? Was Loki really alive? If he was, why did he have to stay hidden? Was he in trouble? He had to know that she would be more than willing to help him in any way she could.

Beth fingered the flower on her outstretched hand delicately and asked Grace, "Is it possible that Loki is still alive?"

Grace thought about it for a moment and answered, "I am not sure. I had a dream last night, but now, I am not so sure if it was a dream."

"What was it about?" Beth asked as her dark green eyes glimmering with excitement.

Grace's blue eyes gained a faraway look as she thought over the events of the past night. Loki was truly in her arms last night. A smile spread across her face as she remembered kissing him tenderly while they were on the roof together. She thought that she would never again hear his soft voice tell her that he loves her. A giggle almost escaped her lips when she remembered all that he had told her.

At that moment, Beth ran behind her and embraced someone who had just entered into the kitchen. Grace turned around half expecting to see Loki standing there, but instead, Jane stood at the entrance to the room. "Jane? How long have you been in New York?" Grace asked.

"Two days. You have kind of been out of it for a while." Jane answered as she picked up Beth and placed her on her hip. "Allow me to express my condolences. It cannot be easy."

"Well," Grace responded as she turned into the kitchen and began to prepare a meal for their guest, "I am doing the best I can."

"That is all that you can do." Jane answered as she turned to the table and saw the two flowers that Loki had given to them on the table appearing the same way they did the day he had given them to as a gift. She remembered coming in yesterday and Beth said that it was dying. How could they be coming back to life? Unless… Jane's eyes opened wide when she realized the possibility that Loki may yet be alive!

Jane then turned to Grace who was cooking the grilled cheese sandwiches and asked, "Is there something that I should know?"

Grace looked at her friend suspiciously and asked, "Whatever could you mean by that?"

"Did you get a visitor last night?" Jane rephrased her question.

"I am not sure." Grace replied plainly.

"How could you not know?" Jane pressed her for an answer.

"It may have been a dream brought on by my frantic wishing." Grace responded. "But, given what I found on my bedside table this morning and my bed, leads me to think otherwise."

"What did you find, Grace?" Both Jane and Beth asked eagerly at the same time.

"I had a green cape draped over my bed. And," Grace then looked down and revealed a piece of paper that held Loki's handwriting on it. She unfolded it and said, "This is a letter from Loki that I had never seen before. It was just lying on my bedside table when I woke up." She stared down at it and appeared to be reading.

After a few moments Beth asked cautiously, "What does it say?"

Grace smiled as she read the words out loud that said:

"My Dearest Grace;

"I truly enjoyed the feel of your arms around me as we embraced this night. You have rendered me helpless with just the touch of your hand and the feel of your lips against mine. I love you, my dear. You and you alone are master of my broken and shattered heart. For you have made it whole again with one smile.

"I will come to see you as often as I can. How can I live without seeing your loving face?

"All my love;

"Loki Laufeyson."

Grace then folded the letter up and put it close to her heart as she smiled and a single tear found its way out of her right eye. Oblivious that both Jane and Beth where in the room with her, Grace brought the letter up to her lips and kissed it tenderly.

"Grace," Beth piped up after a few moments. "Why are you crying? Was that letter not what you thought it would be?" She asked.

Grace looked at the young child and said, "These are happy tears, dear."

"Oh…" Beth answered as she took a bite of a piece of bread that was on the table.

Meanwhile on Asgard, Thor walked into the banquet hall and saw someone in a long black cape taking the food off of the table and putting it into a basket that was in his pale grasp. This person was tall and had leather pants on as he worked quickly to remove all of the food that was left over from the most recent banquet. His hood was up concealing his face so Thor could not see who it was, but it was not one of the servants that much was clear. The way he was dressed told that he was poor, but the way he carried himself suggested otherwise.

"Halt!" Thor shouted. The mysterious capped person froze in place for a few moments. "Who are you? I demand to know!" His thunderous voice rang all throughout the room.

The man reached his hand to his hood and pulled it down. Doing this, he revealed that he had short black hair and bright green eyes. Seeing this, Thor dropped the hammer that he was welding which landed with a loud clang and said, "Loki? What are you doing?"

"I am taking this food to those who have none." Loki answered plainly. "I have learned much from Grace, one thing being that we have a responsibility to help those who are less fortunate then we are."

Thor smiled and walked up to Loki and asked, "Did she also tell you that it was necessary to dress up in a cape and sneak around as you are helping?"

"No she did not. I just never wanted to get seen doing it." Loki responded.

"Why is that?" Thor asked as confusion mounted in his mind.

"Because then I would get stopped. I do not want that." Loki answered.

Thor chuckled and slapped his hand on his brothers back and said, "Wearing a cape and sneaking around is a sure way to get stopped, brother."

"Alright. Now, if you will excuse me, I have some deliveries to make." Loki replied as he held the basket all the tighter.

He then began to leave but Thor stopped him by asking, "May I come along, brother?"

Loki stopped in his tracks and looked back at his brother and asked, "Why?"

"As you said, we have a responsibility to help those who are less fortunate then we are." Thor responded with a smile on his face.

Loki thought about it for a few moments and considered saying no but then he heard Grace's voice saying to him, "Let him come, they will love to see him."

After he heard this he grinned at his brother and the two of them headed out of the castle to distribute the food. Thor and Loki stood side by side as they gave out the food to the famished people who were just around the corner from the castle. Thor was becoming distressed as he gazed into their grateful hungry faces. How did he not even know that there was such a need for something as simple as food so close to his home? Even more confusing was how did Loki know they were there?

Thor saw a warm and loving smile on his brother's face as he distributed the food to those who needed it. He was not use to seeing this on his pale face. It caught him off guard as he heard Loki speaking softly to the hungry people and promising them that he would bring them more food when he got the opportunity to.

As they were leaving, Thor said to Loki, "Grace must have hit you over the head with a brick."

Loki looked at Thor and asked, "What do you mean?"

"I have never in my life ever thought I would see you behave this way towards other people. Poor people none the less." Thor said. "Grace must have opened your eyes to a lot of things."

"Yes she did." Loki answered as they continued to walk back to the castle.

After they walked in silence for a few moments, Thor said, "I am sorry that father has forbidden you to see her."

A mischievous smile appeared on Loki's face as he replied, "You honestly think that is going to stop me? It never has in the past. Mind now, my disobedience in this matter is for something that can never harm anyone."

Thor let out a load cheerful laugh as he wrapped his muscular arm around his brother's thin shoulders and he answered, "I never thought it would!"

Back on earth, the sun had just set and Grace was lying on her bed waiting to hear the door open and familiar footsteps to enter into the house. She waited for what seemed like hours and still nothing. Not so much as a knock on the door. Grace sat up and put on her brace as she somberly walked to the front door and waited by it for Loki to either knock or to just come right in. She desperately wanted to see him again.

On the other side of the door stood Loki. He was unsure if he should wake Grace again in order to visit her. His bright green eyes were set on the door in front of him as he considered just going back to Asgard. There was something telling him to leave. Yet, there was a small quiet voice that whispered to him saying stay. He was unsure which to listen to. Should he really awaken Grace again and then leave her as soon as the sun rose? He would come back for her someday somehow. He would always return for her.

They stood there for a few minutes before Loki began to walk away. When he did he heard the door swing open and Grace called his name. As soon as he heard Grace call his name, his heart sped up and he froze in place. He turned and saw her standing at the doorway with a loving smile on her face.

Grace then stumbled up to him as fast as she could with her arms outspread. Loki smiled and spread his arms out wide as well as he heard her calling his name still. When Grace was a few steps away from him, she stumbled and fell but Loki caught her in his arms before she could hit the ground. Grace and Loki laughed then as they embraced each other.

Tears where flowing freely down Grace's face as she smiled and laughed joyfully. Loki was alive! It was not a dream after all! She did not care if the world ended right then and there. Loki was in her arms and she was in his. Loki closed his eyes as a small smile rested on his face as he felt Grace kiss his cheek warmly.

Grace pulled away then and said to Loki with a smile on her face, "Would you like to come in? I can wake Beth. I know she would love to see you."

Loki looked up at her house and thought for a long moment. He then looked down into Grace's eager blue eyes and answered her, "I would love to see Beth. But," He stopped to run his hand through her short brown hair. "Tomorrow is a school day. She needs her sleep."

"Is that why you started to leave when you were at the door tonight?" Grace inquired.

"How did you know I was there?" Loki asked.

"I did not know that it was you. I was standing at the door when I heard footsteps receding. I opened the door hoping that it was you, and it was." Grace responded.

"Why... Why were you standing by the door?" Loki questioned with distress clear in his voice.

"I was waiting for you to come." Grace replied. "You said you would."

Loki then pulled her into an even tighter embrace as he smiled warmly and closed his eyes tightly. When he opened his eyes, an even larger smile spread across his face at the sight he saw just before him. He let Grace go and told her to turn around. When she did, she saw Beth standing at the door staring at Loki with a large smile on her face.

Loki then knelt down and spread his arms out wide and Beth ran into his arms and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. He gave her a nice kiss on the cheek as he picked her up in his arms and held her close. "Shall we go inside?" He asked as he turned to Grace.

She smiled and nodded her head. Grace followed as Loki carried Beth into the house and sat down on the cot that he used to sleep on. When he set Beth down beside him, he asked, "What would you like to do?"

"Just read me a story, please." Beth answered as she wrapped her little arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest.

Loki smiled warmly as he watched her close her little eyes and a shy grin spread across her face. "How about I tell you the story of a man from another world that felt alone and sorrowful until he meet a lovely woman and her charming daughter?" Loki asked with a tender smile on his face. Grace gasped when she realized that he was talking about himself meeting her and Beth.

"That sounds good." Beth answered without even opening her eyes.

Loki looked up at Grace and smiled before he stared speaking. "Let us see, were should I start."

"How about with 'Once Upon a Time'?" Grace suggested kindly.

"Good idea." Loki answered and he winked at Grace. He knew that she knew who the story he was about to tell was about. "Once upon a time there was a man who lived in a vast golden castle with everything that he could ever need. He was a prince. His world was called Asgard and it was very beautiful to the eyes and ears. There was always something fun and exciting happening and there were hundreds of people around him constantly. Yet, he always felt alone. He felt different from everyone around him and he did not know why that was.

"One day, the king told the prince that he was not his son after all, but rather the son of his sworn enemy!" Beth gasped and sat up wide eyed and listened intently to the tale being told by Loki. He continued his story, "The prince was heartbroken as he began to realize why he always felt so different. He then devised a master plot to steel the throne from his older brother. He got his brother banished to another world and when he came to visit him, convinced his brother that their father had died.

"His plot was discovered and he was thrown out of the castle and into the dungeons." Loki glanced over at Grace who was seated at the wooden bench and saw that she had tears forming in her eyes as she listen to him tell the story of his life to Beth. "While there, he was tortured and disfigured to the point where he could no longer recognize himself. He was then sent to earth and he caused even more trouble there than he ever did on Asgard. He tried to be their king with brute force.

"Little did he know, but the woman whom he would meet later stood right in front of him at this time and he did not even see her. He was so twisted with rage that he did not care about anything but himself. After a long battle, he was captured by his older brother and brought back to Asgard. He was then put into prison again. But this time, he was not mistreated, but rather, his mother would come to see him every now and again and bring him books.

"A year or so later, the kingdom came under attack! His mother was killed and he was freed to help avenge her death. After he helped avenge his mother, he tried to take the throne for a second time. He was then banished to earth. In fact, he was sent to the very city he tried to defeat!" Beth hung on his every word as he spoke to her and Grace. "It was there that he met the woman for the second time. When he saw her, he thought she was the most beautiful person he had ever seen in his entire life.

"Even though she recognized him, she took him into her house and cared for him. She introduced him to her daughter, who was afraid of him at first, but eventually grew to like him. He grew to love these two ladies who took him into their house and cared for him even though he was far from worthy of being around these two lovely creatures. Those two were far more than he could ever hope for in his sad broken life.

"Beyond his wildest dreams, the woman had fallen in love with him as well!" Loki then looked over at Grace and he saw that tears were streaming down her face as she listened to his tale with a small smile on her face. Loki wanted to stand up and cross the room and kiss her tenderly but he knew that Beth was waiting for the rest of the story. So, he continued the tale by saying, "They lived in bliss for about a year before his past caught up with him. He was recognized and he got arrested. The woman and her daughter came to see him and to see if he could be set free. But, alas, it was not possible. He was put to death the next day." He paused for a moment and examined the tear stained faces of his listeners.

Loki continued to speak, "You may think this is a sad tale, but think about it for a minute. A man who thought he would go through life unloved, experienced the love of two angels before the end of his life. He learned the truth about himself as well."

"What was that?" Grace managed to say through her tears.

Loki looked up at her with love plain to see in his bright green eyes as he answered with admiration in his voice, "That he was not a monster after all."

Grace then stood up and walked over to him and threw her arms around him tightly. She wept tears of joy on Loki's shoulder as she said, "I am glad that he realized truth." Loki retuned the warm embrace as Beth watched them both with confusion in her eyes. Then, she realized why Grace was crying during the story that Loki was telling them. It was true! He was the man and she was the woman!

"Loki?" Beth said after a few moments.

Loki and Grace parted and he turned to her and smiled as he asked, "Yes, sweetheart?"

"Does the man have to go back home tonight?" Beth inquired cautiously, "Can he stay with the woman and her daughter?"

Loki smiled and pulled Beth into a tight embrace as he answered, "He would love to. Unfortunately though, he cannot stay. He is breaking every role just coming to see the two angels tonight."

Beth then asked, "Can we come with you then?" There was sorrow in her voice as she thought that she would never see him again.

"I am not sure if the others are ready for to angels to live amongst them just yet. But tell you what," Beth, who had buried her head in his chest as she wept, looked up at him with tear stains streaking her face. "As soon as they are ready, I will come back for you both." Loki finished as Beth and Grace smiled and he pulled them both into a warm embrace.

After a few minutes, Beth went off to bed leaving Grace and Loki alone in the sitting room. The moment they heard the door to her room close, Loki leaned over and kissed her on the lips passionately. Grace returned the kiss and her hands rested on his chest as his were behind her head and back warmly. Tears began to stream down his face as he realized that this may be that last time he will get to share a kiss with her.

Grace could tell that Loki was sobbing so she began to kiss him slower and more lovingly as she tried to comfort him. One of her hands remained over his heart as the other wrapped around behind his head tenderly. She did not know why he was sorrowful, but she figured that he was worried about his father's disapproval. They shared their love for a few more minutes as tears continued to stream down his face.

Suddenly, there was a bright flash of light as a faint click sounded to their left so both Loki and Grace looked to find that Beth was standing there with a camera in her hands. "Beth," Grace said, with embracement coating her voice. "I thought you were in bed."

"I was lying down in my bed when I saw the camera that Liza lent me the other day. I realized that we do not have any pictures of Loki. So I tried to sneak out to take one. It really did not work though." Beth replied sheepishly.

"That is a wonderful idea, Beth." Loki said. He then turned to Grace and asked her, "Would you please take a photo of Beth and I together?"

Grace smiled and wiped the tears off of his face with the sleeve of her nightie. She then stood up and took the camera from Beth and watched as Beth ran to Loki's side and jumped up beside him and turned to the camera. "No, this is not going to work." Loki said after she sat down.

Beth looked up at him in despair and Grace smiled as she looked through the camera. She knew what he meant. "What do you mean, Loki?" Beth asked sadly.

"It should be like this. Look at the camera, dear." With that said Loki threw his arms around her and looked at the camera as Grace snapped the photo. Beth was laughing with joy as the photo was taken and Grace took another one then as Loki laughing along with her.

After they laughed uncontrollably for a few minutes, Beth stood up and walked up to Grace saying with a bright smile on her face, "It is your turn now."

Grace then gave the camera to Beth and walked over to Loki and sat beside him. He wrapped his arms around her warmly as she leaned onto his chest slightly. They both smiled as Beth took the photo and when she ran off to her room Loki turned to Grace and asked, "I suppose there is no way that I may receive a copy of those photos, is there?"

"You will be back by then." Grace smiled as she answered him. When she looked into his sad distressed face she realized the he was not sure if he ever would be able to return. Now she knew why he had wept when they kissed this last time. "Loki, listen to me. No one, and I mean no one, will ever take your place. I will love you forever. You will never be forgotten."

Loki smiled weakly at her and she pulled him into a tight warm embrace. They remained there for a few moments and then Loki kissed her on her cheek. Grace wept silently as she pulled away from him and took his hands and placed them on her shoulders as she leaned forward and kissed him on the lips sweetly as tears streamed from her face.

After a few minutes, the sun was about to rise then and Loki pulled away slightly, and whispered to her while their lips were still close together, "I love you, Grace."

"I love you as well, Loki" Grace answered. She did not even open her eyes as Loki kissed her again on the corner of her mouth tenderly. As his lips could still be felt on her face, there was a bright flash of light and a slight whooshing sound and his presence could no longer be felt. Grace opened her eyes then and saw that Loki was gone. She stayed in place for a few moments as if he would return if she did not move.

Grace then stood up and began to prepare for the coming day.

Up on Asgard, Loki stepped out of the Bifrost and saw the All Father standing in front of him. "What is it with my sons and humans?" He asked coldly.

Loki glared at him and answered, "You made it quite clear that I am not your son. What do you care who I spend my time with?"

"I care because Thor cares about you still! Though I have no idea why he does!" Odin shouted back at him.

"Maybe it is because we are not that different after all." Loki answered calmly.

"No! You are very different, he will be king where as you will spend the rest of your life in prison!" Odin shouted loudly.

"Why? I did not do anything wrong!" Loki protested.

"Because you disobeyed my express command! I told you not to return to earth! I told you not to see that girl again! And I find you coming back from visiting her!" Odin responded.

Loki got a strange sorrowful look in his eyes as he answered, "Maybe I just wanted a few more moments with her before I was thrown into prison again."

Odin did not know how to respond to that so Loki just left the Bifrost guard post and walked down the rainbow bridge as he thought of his last moments with Grace.


	10. Higher Window

The next morning down on Midgard, Grace was at a drugstore with the camera in her hand as she waited for someone to come and assist her. She thought of her last moments with Loki and she wondered why he could no longer come to see her. A cold tear formed in her eye as she thought of the last kiss they shared.

Then a clerk came up to her and asked, "What can I help you with today?" He smiled and his hazel eyes glimmered as he spoke to her. He had short black hair as he wore a red vest over a white shirt.

"Yes, can you please develop the last four photos on this camera?" Grace answered as she held the camera out in front of her.

"Why not all of the photos?" He asked.

"Because this is not my camera. A friend of my daughters lent it to us and we only took four photos." Grace answered plainly.

"No problem." He answered with a bright smile on his face. He took the camera from her hand and said, "Since you only want four, these will be ready in about a half hour. Feel free to browse around the store as you wait."

The clerk then turned his back and Grace asked, "What aisle are your picture frames in?"

The clerk turned back around and looked at her. The camera in his hands was on and the photo of Loki and Beth was being displayed on the screen. He looked at the photo again then back up at Grace and asked as he pointed at the image on the screen with a long finger, "Is that who I think it is?"

Grace followed his finger with her gaze and saw that he was pointing at Loki. There was the most beautiful smile on his face as Beth sat by his side. The flash on the camera had caused his golden breastplate to shine and his pale face to glow. But the most obvious thing in the picture was the amount of sorrow that was locked behind his smiling green eyes.

Grace then looked up at the clerk and answered his question by saying, "That depends on who you think it is."

The clerk backed away from her and answered her question from earlier, "Picture frames are right behind you."

Grace thanked him and turned around and looked at the selection of picture frames that were available. There were very few there and the ones that were for sale had either black or pink frames. She continued to look around and eventually found some that had wooden frames with a small piece of gold painted plastic around the inside of the frame. She got four of those and turned to the clerk who was printing the photos for her and asked, "Can I leave these here while you print those photos for me?"

The clerk smiled a stiff smile and answered, "Of course you can."

Taking no notice of this, Grace set the picture frames down on the counter and began to walk around the store. Her thoughts traveled back to last night when Loki kissed her. She remembered the feel of his soft lips against hers as they shared a tender kiss. There was something in that kiss that was never there before. She was not sure what it was, but it both disturbed and exhilarated her.

Grace just walked causally and nonchalantly through the store as she waited for her pictures to be finished printing. She saw nothing, she heard nothing. All she thought about was if and when she would see Loki again. Then it occurred to her that Loki was saying goodbye with the kiss that they shared last night.

A half hour later, Grace heard her name called over the speaker system so she walked over to the counter and picked up, as well as paid for, the photos and the picture frames. She then limped home with a plastic bag in her hand and a broken heart once again. She had thought that he was dead only to discover that he had survived through some miracle, but he could not stay with her. Why must he stay so far away from her? Why does he not remain with her and disregard the rules?

A few days later on Asgard, Loki was walking in the garden with a heavy heart. Every little thing he saw reminded him of Grace. He saw her delicate beauty in the flowers, he heard her sweet musical voice in the birdsong, and he could swear that he felt her love in the light that shone down from the sun. He sat down on a bench and watched as the birds flitted around the garden. He thought of his last night with Grace and the memory of the kiss that they shared that night filled his mind. He longed to hold her in his arms once more but he knew that he could not.

The All Father had told him that if he ever caught him with Grace again, he would have her killed. Loki knew that she was far too valuable on Midgard to even risk it. He was glad that she at least had a photo to remember him by, for he would never forget her. She was the one person who had accepted him the way that he was and loved him.

A tear formed in his eye as he thought of Grace. Loki may never see her smile again. But at least she would be alive. He rested his head in his hands as he thought about little Beth. She was another person that he would miss dearly. It had taken her a few days to warm up to him, but once she did, he experienced the most pure love of a child. He was not her father, but he desperately he wanted to be.

Suddenly, he felt someone sit beside him on the bench and he looked up and saw Thor smiling down on him with an understanding look upon his face. Loki sat up straight and wiped the tears away as his brother examined his face. His lips parted and he said, "I know how you feel, brother."

Loki looked into his brothers blue eyes and answered quietly, "No. You cannot possibly understand. You have been accepted and loved all of your life. Whereas I have never experienced just how wonderful it is until I meet Grace. She has showed me that even a monster like me is capable of something good." He paused and placed his head back in his hands. "I love her, Thor, and I will never see her again."

Thor placed his hand on Loki's shoulder and whispered to him, "Perhaps there is still a way. You will see her, but she will not see you."

Loki looked up at his brother and saw that he was being honest. "How?" He asked.

Thor smiled and answered, "You can use your magic, Loki."

Loki looked dejectedly down at the ground and answered, "I do not have my magic anymore. Father correctly assumed that I would use it to sneak off to see Grace. So he took it away."

"Cheer up, brother. We shall find a way." Thor said as he playfully hit Loki on the shoulder. "Oh, I visited Jane this morning and she gave me something to give to you. She said it is from Grace and Beth."

Loki sat up at attention with his green eyes wide with excitement as he watched his brother pull five sheets of paper out of the folds of his garment. He took them out of his brother's hands gently; almost as if he was afraid this was a dream. Thor watched his brothers face as he examined the photos and unfolded the piece of paper. He watched as a pleasant smile formed and remained stationary on Loki's face the entire time he was looking through the photos.

The moment Loki unfolded the piece of paper a tear formed in his right eye as the smile grew. Thor asked, "What is it, brother?" He had to fight the urge to look over his brother's shoulder because he was consumed with curiosity as to what could cause his brother to cry.

Loki handed the paper to Thor and said, "Beth drew this at school. She showed it to me when she arrived home." Thor examined the drawing in his hands of three figures holding hands with the smallest in the center and names written under each figure in a child's handwriting. Thor found himself smiling as he gazed down at the simple drawing of Grace, Loki, and herself in his hands.

"You know, Loki, if you cannot go to Grace, I will gladly bring her here if you would like to see her." Thor said as he handed the drawing back to his brother. "Both of them."

"Really? You would do that for me?" Loki asked in shock.

"Of course I would. You are my brother." Thor answered with a smile on his face as he clasped his hand on Loki's back warmly.

Loki smiled back then and answered, "I would love it if they came but," Loki paused and a sad dejected look formed on his face as he looked down to the ground and Thor released his grasp. "I cannot take her away from Midgard. She is needed there. I cannot take her away from the sick and wounded."

"That is very noble of you, brother, but she is needed here as well. Besides, they would just come for a visit. Not to stay, that is until father consents." Thor protested.

Loki smiled as a single blue bird flitted up to them and landed on his shoulder peacefully. Thor was a bit taken back as he watched his brother reach his left hand to his shoulder and the bird hopped onto his finger without protesting. He watched as it appeared as if his brother was communicating with the bird on his hand. Loki stroked the birds feathered back and thought about what Thor had told him. "Alright. Let me write a letter asking her if she would like to come and visit."

The next day on Midgard, Grace was preparing a lunch of macaroni and cheese as Beth sat at the table reading the book of fairy tales out loud as Grace listened and corrected her pronunciation at times. It was a Saturday and Beth was home from school. Suddenly, there was a slight whooshing sound in the air and Grace turned around hopping that she would she Loki standing there. Standing at the entrance to the kitchen all resplendent in his battle armor with a silver breast plate and red cape over his muscular arms stood Thor.

"Hold on a moment please, Beth." Grace said as she stopped stirring the noodles and turned to face Thor as she crossed her arms across her chest. "Jane is not here, Thor. She left for New Mexico this morning." There was an element of despair in her voice that she was desperately trying to hide but failed in the attempt.

"I am not here to see Jane. I am here to see you. I am delivering a message from Loki." Thor responded in his deep voice as he took a step into the room.

Beth perked up and said, "Loki? What is the message?"

Thor turned to Beth and squatted down so he was eye level with her and said warmly, "He really loves the drawing that you sent him, as well as the photos. But I think the drawing is his favorite." Thor smiled as Beth grinned shyly and swayed gently in her seat.

Thor stood and looked over at Grace and said, "He also has a message for you. Actually, it is more of a question."

Grace then turned back to the noodles and asked, "What is the question?"

Thor then pulled a letter out of the folds of his cape and replied, "It is in this letter." He reached his hand with the letter out to Grace but she just stirred the noodles in the boiling water. Thor said, "I do not understand. I thought you love him?"

"I do love him, but every time I reach out to him and he reaches back some cruel twist of fate comes along and pulls and us apart. I am not sure if my heart can take much more of it." Grace answered as she continued to stir the noodles.

"That is when you have to fight for it, Grace. Fight for him! Loki has been disappointed by everyone his entire life! One day, he shut the doors to his heart and built a large barricade around it! Do not turn your back on him just when he is beginning to let his guard down! He has been walking around like a shadow of his former self. He does not eat, he barely sleeps, and it almost seems as if he is in some far of realm." Thor protested in a loud voice as he pointed to the letter with his hands clenched tightly into fists.

"I have never been good at fighting for things." Grace answered calmly.

"What do you mean?! From what Loki tells me, your entire life has been a fight! You even had to fight to get him to open his heart! Now that it is open, you are just going to leave him! Why? Imagine his heartbreak when he learns that the one person he loves will not even look at a letter that he sends to her! I will have to tell him, because as soon as I get back to Asgard, he will inquire what your response was!" Thor shouted.

Grace was weeping silently as she listened to Thor's words. Loki's caring and gentle heart would truly shatter if he learned that she did not read his letter. So she turned the stove off and wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her black shirt. She then turned to face Thor and said as she stumbled over to him, "You are correct. I do not want to cause him any more heartache then he already has to deal with." There were still trace elements of sorrow in her voice as she spoke and Thor noticed that she was leaning on the counter as she walked. Had she gotten worse?

When Grace took the letter from his hand, Thor excused himself from the room and stood outside as she read the letter. Grace stumbled over to the table and collapsed down in one of the chairs that were surrounding it. Beth just sat there silently as Grace read the letter and watched as her face transformed from one of sorrow to pure ecstasy and love. The letter read:

**My dearest Grace,**

**I feel I must explain as to why I had to leave you so suddenly. You are aware that my father does not approve of our love for each other and I have been disregarding him and sneaking out to see you. My father had discovered this and, knowing that threatening my life would not yield his desired result, he thus threatened to have you killed if I did not cease in my visits. So, to save your life, that is exactly what I did.**

**I want you to know that you possess my thoughts and my heart at all times. I long to see you once again more and more with every passing second, but I know that my visit would mean your death and you are far too important on Midgard to even risk it. They need you there with them, Grace. Far more then I need you here with me.**

**My brother believes that we can manage to bring both you and Beth up to Asgard for a visit. You must tell him 'no'. It is far too treacherous to even attempt. I fear what my father will do if he finds you here. As I stated earlier, you are far too important to risk your life.**

**Please, tell Thor 'no'.**

**Yours and yours alone forevermore,**

**Loki Laufeyson**

Grace folded the letter and held it close to her heart as she closed her eyes and let his words sink in. Beth waited patiently as she waited for Grace to open her eyes and explain what Loki had said to her in the letter. When she did open her eyes, she immediately stood and walked back to her room all the while leaning on the wall for support.

A few moments later, she returned with a piece of paper and a pen. She sat there and wrote a quick note to Loki. Then she folded it and held it to her lips as a single tear fell from her right eye. Beth folded her little arms on the table and rested her head on them as she watched Grace and waited for an explanation.

Grace then called Thor back into the room and held the letter out in her hand for him to take. He hesitated and asked, "What is this?"

"It is my response. I told him 'no'. It is far too dangerous. For Beth's sake, I will not risk it." Grace answered point blankly. Thor took the letter regrettably and left the room with a down cast gaze. He then stepped into Bifrost and return to Asgard.

Grace then turned to Beth who inquired, "What did Loki ask?"

Grace smiled and unfolded the letter and handed it to the young girl who was across from her at the table. "Here, I will read it and you follow along. Alright?" Beth smiled and nodded her head eagerly. Grace then began to read as she gracefully moved her finger across the page as she pointed to each word that she was reading.

When Thor arrived back on Asgard, he headed straight for Loki's chambers. When he arrived, the door was wide open but he still knocked on the door. When no answer came, he walked into the room to lay the letter on his bedside table. It was a rather large room that was dark in coloration which made it appear to be smaller for there were dark green curtains that were drawn over the windows and black furniture in the vast room. The bed was large and plush with fine green satin and silk covers.

The bed appeared as if no one had slept in for days. This was true. All that he had told Grace was true. Loki was not behaving like himself at all. There had not been a single prank played on anyone since he was forbidden to see Grace. Once Thor reach Loki's bedside table, he noticed that there was a thick braid of brown hair tied with a red ribbon lying within an arm's length from the bed. It was Grace's hair. He had noticed that her hair was shorter this time then it was the last time he had seen her.

Thor placed the letter down beside the lock of hair and turned to leave when he saw something in the corner of his eye. He turned to the bed and saw four photos laid out neatly on the covers. Curious, Thor walked up to the bed to examine the pictures. He picked up the two with Beth and Loki together and smiled as he examined them. He paid particular attention to the one where both he and Beth were laughing. It had been a long time since he heard his brother laugh.

Thor placed those down and picked up the next two gently. Loki was with Grace in these two pictures. There was one were his arms where wrapped around her tightly as she leaned on his chest. The other they were kissing in and there were tears streaming down his brothers face. These must have been taken on his last visit with her. As Thor gazed at the pictures in his hands he felt even worse about the news that he was bringing his brother.

Then, the door closed behind him and Thor spun around and saw that Loki was striding into the room. Loki folded his arms behind his back and said to Thor threateningly, "What are you doing in here, Thor?"

"I came by to give you Grace's reply but you were not here and I saw that the door was open." Thor answered.

"So you just came right in?" Loki asked as he took a step closer to his brother.

"I doubt you want father to see the letter from the very woman he is trying to keep you away from." Thor answered.

Loki's eyes opened wide with excitement as he walked the final few steps up towards his brother. "She answered with a letter? Where is it?"

"Do not get to excited, brother. She said 'no'." Thor said with melancholy clear in his voice. "But if you still want to read it, I placed the letter on your bedside table."

Loki had to hide a smile. Grace was going to do exactly what he told her to do. She was not going to come up to Asgard. Why did she write a letter though? Loki picked it up and watched as Thor left the room. Once he was gone, Loki sat on the coach in his room and unfolded the piece of paper eagerly. On it was Grace's dainty handwriting and as he read it, he could not help letting a smile spread across his face. It read:

**My love,**

**I told your brother what you wished me to say, but you have to know that I will not waste a chance to see you. I care not for my life. I just need to see you, to feel your touch against my skin, and experience the tenderness of your kiss once again. I love you, Loki. I will see you soon.**

**My heart belongs to you,**

**Grace.**

Loki folded the paper and looked at the photos on his bed. They were all still there but had been moved. So what if Thor saw them, it mattered not. Grace was still going to come and see him. A smile spread across his face as he thought about Grace walking with him in the garden. He would walk with both Grace and Beth through the garden as he held their hands in both of his.

Loki began to read her letter again then and a realization came upon him. She was coming here! That is precisely what he advised against! He needed to write her back without rousing any suspicion. He quickly got a piece of paper and a quill and began to write. If she just disregarded this letter like she did the last, he did not know what he would do next.

Once he finished writing the letter, he folded the paper and went out to find Thor. When he found his brother, he was in the banquet hall dining with the warriors, he said, "May I speak with you privately for a moment?"

Thor smiled and answered, "Yes, of course." Thor stood and walked with his brother out into the hall. Once they were out of earshot of everyone in the hall, Thor asked, "What may I help you with?"

Loki then lifted the letter that he had written to Grace a few moments ago and asked, "Could you please deliver this to Grace. It can be either tomorrow or in a few days."

"Loki, I am not your mail currier!" Thor protested. He looked into his brothers pleading green eyes and took the letter out of his hands. "I will deliver it in a few days so as not to seem too desperate."

"Thank you, Thor." Loki said as he watched his brother stride back into the banquet hall answered by a chorus of loud bellowing cheers. Once Loki had walked away as well, a figure rounded the corner and eyed his back suspiciously. It was Lady Sif. She had not heard all of what had transpired between Loki and Thor, but there was something odd about it. She wanted to inform the All Father about it, but she knew she needed more facts first. So, she just walked back into the banquet hall and resumed the feast.

A few days later, Loki awoke in his bed lying on his chest as he tightly grasped the soft braid of brown hair in his hand. He looked at the braid and smiled as he thought that he may be getting another letter from Grace soon. He laid there with a content smile on his face as the satin and silk covers rested on his bare back. He heard a knock on his door and he answered by calling out with slumber lingering in his voice, "What is it?"

Thor's voice called back in by saying, "Have you just awakened? It is already noon and I have just returned from Midgard."

Upon hearing that, Loki sprang out of bed and rushed to get a shirt on while he conversed with his brother through the door. "Was there any reply?" He asked as he slipped a large grey shirt over his head.

"In a manner of speaking." Came the reply through the door. There was a hint of desperation in Thor's voice but Loki did not notice. He was too delighted at the thought that Grace may have answered his letter. And so quickly once again.

Loki chuckled and answered as he walked towards the door, "Come on, Thor. Is there, or isn't there a reply?" He opened the door then and all the blood ran out of his face and just about froze in his veins when he saw Thor standing there with Grace held in his arms. She was out cold and it appeared as if both of her legs were stiffer than ever. "I asked you just to deliver a letter not bring her to Asgard! Get her in here!" Loki hissed quietly as Thor carried Grace into his chamber and laid her on his bed. "Where is Beth? Did you bring her as well?" Loki continued.

"No, I left her with Jane in New Mexico! I could not just leave her on her own! Beth was begging for me to bring Grace here though." Thor responded.

"Why?" Loki asked with a slightly softer voice. "Is something wrong?"

"Beth informed me that Grace has not moved for two days. She was breathing, but she was not moving as she lay there on her bed! She is now, but only just." Thor responded with a note of urgency in his voice.

When Loki heard this, he was by her side in an instant. He was holding her hand and stroking her brow tenderly as he gazed affectionately down at her. Thor watched this and wondered at how loving his brother was towards this mortal. He watched as Loki sat beside her on the bed and continued to stroke her burning hot forehead with his cold hand.

After a few moments Thor said, "I will go send for the healers." After he had left, Loki continued to stroke Grace's forehead with his cold hand and his bright green eyes ran over every detail of her face. He wanted to make sure he had it memorized. Even though he had the photos, nothing compared to having an actual memory of her. He watched as she shifted slightly on the bed and contemplated pulling the covers over her to keep her warm.

A few minutes later there was a knock on the door and Loki, not wanting to leave her side, said, "Who is it?"

"What do you mean, who is it? It is me with the healers." Thor shouted from the other side of the door.

Panic suddenly surged through his entire frame. What if they reported back to his father that Grace was in his chambers? Why did he care? Grace was here with him. That was all that mattered to him now. Loki looked back down at Grace's face and that seemed to calm him as he pushed a strand of her short brown hair behind her ear. He leaned forward then and kissed her on the forehead tenderly.

At that precise moment, Grace opened her eyes. She saw Loki leaning over her with a relived smile on his pale face and she smiled back at him not realizing where she was. She thought she was dreaming as she often did. She reached up and stoked the side of his face with the backs of her fingers lovingly. "I missed you." She whispered.

Loki gently grasped her hand and kissed her fingertips and replied, "I missed you as well." His voice was low and quiet as well as he gazed into Graces bright blue eyes.

Thor, who was still on the other side of the door with the healers, was growing distressed. He did not hear anything in the room and thought that Loki had fled out the window with Grace in his arms. He was about to open the door and march in when he heard his brother call out to him, "There is no need for the healers. Everything is alright." There was a certain amount of peace and tranquility in his voice that caught all of those waiting outside his door off guard. What was going on in there?

Inside the room, Grace was now sitting up leaning against the headboard. Her legs were curled up underneath her and a long white skirt was draped over her legs. Loki sat at the edge of the bed watching her with a peaceful smile on his face. He wore black cloth pants and a grey baggy V-neck shirt that showed the end of one of the extensive scars on his chest. They just sat there for a few moments and just watched each other breath. They just took in the others presence as they sat four feet away from each other. After a few moments, Grace broke the silence by saying quietly, "It is so nice to see you again, Loki."

Loki nodded his head. "I cannot agree more, Grace." He replied breathlessly. He was fighting the urge to reach out and hold her close to him. He was actually trembling slightly from the excitement of seeing her again.

Grace noticed this and leaned forward and threw her arms around Loki and smiled as she felt his arms tighten around her. She whispered in his ear, "Why were you holding back? Why did you not just reach out to hold me?"

A single tear ran down Loki's face as he heard Grace question him with a hurt expression in her voice. Loki pulled out of the hug and placed his hands on either side of her face gently. "Because I knew that the moment I touched you, I could never let you go again. I also know that you cannot stay here, even though I want you to stay desperately."

Grace rested her hands on his chest as she asked, "Why not, Loki? Why can we not stay in this room forever?" Loki then kissed her on the lips and she kissed him back. They both missed each other so much that they were totally immersed in their shared affections. As their lips moved in sync with each other, the sound of their hearts beating was the only sound that could be heard.

Loki suddenly pulled away and said, "No. You are needed back on Midgard. Beth needs you. The people need you." His head was hanging low as he spoke.

Grace placed her delicate hand under his chin and lifted his gaze to meet hers. "If I have to go back, would you like to come with me?" A smile flashed across Loki's face for a split second as he thought about returning to Midgard and seeing Beth again. Then he remembered his father's threat. He did not want to risk getting her killed.

Loki looked into her eyes and said, "I would love to go back to Midgard with you but, I am afraid, it cannot be. Grace," He paused and looked down at the bed then back up into her eyes. There was a certain level of sorrow and distress in his green eyes that made her eyes begin to mist over. "I love you with all of my heart, Grace. But, I am afraid we cannot be together. It is far too perilous for you to stay here or for me to come to Midgard."

Grace grinned sadly and replied by asking, "How long? How long can I stay here with you before I am discovered?"

Loki put his hand on the side of her face and Grace leaned her head into his hand as she put her hand over his. "You would really be willing to risk your life to stay with me?" Loki inquired.

Grace smiled and answered, "I have met many people in my life, Loki. Of all of them, you and Beth are the ones that I would happily give my life for."

Loki then pulled her into a tight embrace as he wept gently on her shoulder. Grace smiled and kissed him on the cheek affectionately. Loki smiled and pulled her tighter then whispered in her ear, "You can probably stay for two weeks without detection. I am sure I can manage to have you around for another week or two if you like."

"I would love that. But what about Beth?" Grace asked as she pulled away from Loki and looked into his green eyes.

"Thor told me that he dropped Beth of at Jane's house in New Mexico. I will send him tomorrow to tell her that you have recovered but you are staying up here for a few days." Loki replied with a smile. "Well, it is noon. I had better go get lunch. I will be right back." He smiled and left the room leaving Grace alone in his room resting on his bed.

Grace looked around and saw that she was in a rather large plush room. There was black furniture in the room and four windows that were covered with thick curtains blocking out most of the light. She looked over to one of the windows that had a large heavy green curtain that reached all of the way to the floor drawn over it. She stood and walked in her bare feet across the floor that was covered with a white fur rug. She reached her pale hands out and grasped the curtains and threw them open. Bright sun light flooded the room and Grace just stood in awe of the glorious sight in front of her. There were many gold buildings and a bright blue sky with two moons. There were several people walking around on the streets wearing either robes or armor.

At that moment, Loki reentered his chamber with a cloth napkin in his hand that was laden with food. He saw Grace standing at the window with the curtain drawn back and she was standing in the full light of the afternoon sun. She was not aware that he had reentered the room and she just stood there in awe and shock of what she saw. Loki placed the food on his bed and walked up behind her and placed his hands tenderly on her arms.

Grace jumped slightly at Loki's touch, but when she realized that it was him she relaxed and asked him, "Where am I?"

Loki sucked air into his lungs and answered as he gazed out of the window as well, "This is Asgard. This is where I was raised." His voice was rather melancholy as he spoke.

"You mean, this is your home?" Grace asked in amazement.

"Far from it." Loki replied. "My home is where ever you are. I would follow you anywhere."

Grace then dropped the curtain and as it fell over the window she turned around to face him. As she looked up at Loki she said in a soft voice, "You would give all of this up? For me?"

As Loki gazed down into her blue eyes, he pulled her close and whispered, "Of course I would. I love you more than anything."

Grace then stood on her tip toes and reached up and wrapped her arms around Loki's neck and as he leaned forward, she kissed him on the lips and he kissed her back. After a few moments, the kiss ended and Loki said, "You had better eat. I would like to show you around later and you will need your energy."

Grace smiled as Loki took her by the hand and led her back to his bed were there was the napkin with a few pieces of cheese and a few slices of meat. As they both sat on the bed, Loki told of the last month up on Asgard while Grace ate the food that he had collected for her and listened to him intently.

Little did they know, but Sif stood just outside the door listening to the conversation transpiring just beyond the doors. Loki had a woman in his chambers! A mortal woman! In fact, it was THE mortal woman that the All Father had forbidden him to visit! Every cell within her wanted to go inform the king, but then, she also wanted to meet this woman who changed Loki's life so drastically. She just stood there and listened as they spoke in the room. Eventually, she left and went about her way to return later.

The next day on Midgard in New Mexico, Jane, Beth, and Darcy sat at the kitchen table eating breakfast. They all sat there silently as they ate there meal. Beth was seated in the middle of the two ladies and she looked from one to the other with her eyes as she spooned her cereal into her mouth.

Then, there was a bright flash of light and a slight whooshing sound and the three of them turned around and saw Thor standing there with a bright smile on his face. Both Jane and Beth ran up to him and when they both had received a tight embrace from him he turned to Beth and said, "Loki wants you to know that Grace is fine. She will just be up on Asgard for a few days. Is that alright with you?"

Beth smiled and replied, "Yes it is."

"So, what are you ladies going to do today?" Thor asked as he took a set at the table.

Darcy was the one to speak up. She said, "Probably just the usual stuff. Go to science labs and work on some secret stuff. As well as tase some guys." She looked over at Beth when she said this and saw that she giggled.

Yesterday, Darcy had told Beth how she had met Thor and the events that transpired afterwards. Beth laughed harder than she ever had when she listened to her tell the tale of how she had met Thor and the comments that were exchanged afterwards.

Back on Asgard, Grace was sitting on one of Loki's back chairs reading one of the extensive amounts of books in his room as she waited for him to return. The chair was soft and plush and it seemed to be covered in some sort of black fur from some animal that she had never seen before. Whatever it was, it was extremely soft.

Grace's bright blue eyes scanned over the words in the book that she held in her hands and she turned the page every now and again with a delicate thin finger. The door opened to Loki's chamber and she did not even look up. She just assumed that it was Loki coming into the room. She was wrong.

"What are you doing here?" Asked a feminine voice. It was commanding and held a certain amount of suspicion in it that caused Grace to jump. When she looked up she saw a tall woman dressed in armor with long black hair that was pulled back into a ponytail revealing high cheekbones on a tanned face. Her deep green eyes where filled with rage as she glared at Grace.

Grace set the book down and slowly rose to her feet as she kept her eyes slightly downcast. "I am not quite sure why I am here, my lady. But I do know that Loki has generously agreed to care for me until I can return home."

The woman drew her sword and pointed it at Grace and said, "You are lying. Loki does not care about anyone but himself."

Grace was shocked and looked up into the warrior's eyes as she responded, "Really? He did not give me that impression."

"Yes. I grew up alongside him!" The woman shouted. "He is a master of lies and deceit! He even tried to kill his brother a few times!"

"No offence, but you obviously do not know him all that well. He does not seem to be a deceiver to me. Honestly, he is a really bad liar." Grace replied calmly.

The woman was taken off guard by this. Her green eyes widened and she lowered her sword and asked, "What is he like with you?"

Grace smiled and answered, "He is hard to explain. He is loving and gentle, but very protective. He is thoughtful and compassionate, yet broken." Grace stopped and looked up into the woman's eyes and smiled all the brighter as she added, "I would give my life for him in an instant."

At that moment, Loki walked into the room with a bright smile on his pale face. The moment he saw the woman in his room, the smile disappeared from his face and he quickly raced to stand in between this intruder and the woman he loved. Once he stood in front of Grace he asked, "What are you doing in here, Sif?" His voice was thick with fury and contempt as he spoke to her.

"I just wanted to meet the mortal who had stolen your heart." Sif answered softly as she looked past Loki to Grace who stood behind him.

"Then why were you pointing your sword at her?" Loki asked threateningly.

Grace walked past Loki and stood in front of him and turned to him and said, "She did not know what to expect, Loki. It is understandable." She then turned to Sif and curtsied as best she could and said, "It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Lady Sif. My name is Grace."

Sif was taken off guard by this and sheathed her sword. She replied, "There is no need for that bowing, Grace. I am not royalty. I am just a warrior to defend the king and all of Asgard."

"Oh… I apologize. I was merely mistaken by your regal garments." Grace responded.

Sif then looked at Loki and said to him, "I can see how you fell for her. She is very sweet." Sif then took on a sterner expression as she asked, "Why did you bring her here, Loki? Your father will not be pleased when he discovers what you have done."

"She was ill. I was told that she had not moved for days when Thor brought her here. But, now that she is on the mends, she will only stay for another week or so. Just so I can make sure that she is alright. Please, Sif, do not tell Odin that she is here." Loki begged as he gripped Graces hand tightly.

Sif bowed slightly to him and said in reply, "I never intended to tell Odin, I just wanted to meet her." With that said, Sif swiftly left the room as she closed the door behind her.

Grace turned to Loki and wrapped her arms around his neck. She looked up into his bright green eyes as he smiled down at her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He then picked her up and he carried her over to his bed. Once he set her down she kept her arms wrapped around his neck so he could not stand up.

"Come on, Grace, please let go. I have to make an appearance at the feast or everyone will get worried and come to my room in search of me." Loki said sweetly. "I will be right back."

"Not until you kiss me first." Grace answered as she closed her eyes.

Loki smiled and leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips as her arms remained wrapped around his neck. His hands rested on her shoulders as he kissed her and they slowly traveled to her waist as he pulled her closer to him. Once their lips parted, they remained close to each other and Loki whispered to her, "I love you, Grace."

Grace smiled and replied, "As long as I am alive, you and you alone have ownership of my heart." She then released him and crossed her hands over her chest. Loki, however, stayed close to her even though she had released her grip on him. He leaned forward and kissed her on the lips one more time before he left the room. He gave her the instruction to remain on the bed and rest while he was gone.

So, Grace remained on his bed as she remembered the soft feel of his lips against hers as she gently touched her lips. She remembered the last kiss she had shared with him at her house versus the kiss that they shared only a few moments ago. The one back at the house was sorrowful and passionate, but the one that they shared here, in his room, was joyous and romantic. They knew that they were not going to be separated for at least a week.

Grace closed her eyes and drifted off into a light slumber. She dreamed of Loki walking alongside her as she grew old in one. Loki stood by her side at Beth's wedding to a nice young man in another. Finally, Loki was helping push her along in her wheelchair when she no longer could walk.

A few minutes later, the door opened and Loki came striding into his room. He saw that Grace was asleep and he walked quietly up to her as he tried not to wake her. Once he reached her side, he looked down at her lovingly. He then leaned forward and kissed her cheek tenderly and watched as a grin grew on her angelic face. Then he went and sat on the couch as he read the book that Grace was reading earlier.

A few days later, Grace stretched her arms above her head as she awoke in bed and felt a strange dangling object on the headboard. It was small and smooth. Grace opened her blue eyes and saw a beautiful elegant golden bracelet with small green gemstones in it. She sat up on the large bed with black satin sheets and green silk covers. She gently picked it off of the headboard and held it in the palm of her hand. It was truly beautiful. It was a small and dainty bracelet with golden leaves and emeralds scattered all through it.

Loki was standing by his large wardrobe watching as Grace observed the bracelet that he had put on the headboard for her to find. A smile spread across his face when he saw her pick it up and examine it closer. In the dim light that was coming in from the thin openings in the dark green drapes that where pulled over the windows in his chamber, Grace appeared to be glowing like a pure white angel in a dark room. As she fingered the bracelet in her hand, Loki slowly walked towards the bed and sat down on the edge and tenderly took it out of her hand. Grace looked up at him with her large blue eyes and smiled as she held her wrist out for him to put the bracelet on it.

Loki obliged and once it was on Grace's wrist, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it lovingly. It looked truly stunning against her pale skin and the green set off the blue in her eyes. She was wearing a long white dressing gown that was slightly big on her. It belonged to Sif. She had been kind enough to lend it to Grace while she stayed on Asgard.

"Do you know why I got this for you, Grace?" Loki asked in a voice that could almost be described as a loving whisper.

Grace held his hand tightly in hers as she responded, "Not really." She gazed into his soft green eyes and used the same tone of voice that he had used.

Loki smiled and responded by saying, "Because I love you, Grace. You and no other. You are the only one who took the time to actually see me. Not just the threatening façade that I portrayed, but also what I was trying so desperately to hide beneath it.

"I never thought anyone could understand me, let alone love me. When I learned that I was adopted, I was devastated and just wanted to end it all. I did not care what happened to anyone anymore then my adopted father did about me. When I met you, everything changed. I felt something move inside me that had not moved in a very long time. You have changed my life, Grace. I am forever in your debt."

Grace was getting teary-eyed as she listened to Loki speak. A small smile lingered on her face as she placed her hand tenderly on the side of his face. He put his hand over hers and continued to speak quietly, "Also, because you would not let me get you a proper ring." He smiled then and it was one of the most beautiful smiles she had ever seen on his face.

Grace giggled lightly and glanced down at the ring that he had given to her in the prison cell. It was made out of his hair that Loki had cut off and given to her. It was interlaced with magic to hold it together and it shimmered with green sparks when the light hit it just right. "I love them both the same, Loki. And do you know what?" Grace asked with her soft sweet voice landing like flowers on his ears.

Loki smiled and asked, "What?"

Grace then wrapped her arms around his neck and as she leaned in close she whispered while her lips were an inch or two away from his, "I love you more." Loki then grasped her gently around the waist and kissed her on the lips ardently. Grace smiled as she kissed him back and slowly leaned back onto the bed and Loki followed her down. His torso rested softly on top of her as they kissed each other and her arms remained around his neck as his hands rested on her shoulders warmly.

Suddenly, the door opened and light footsteps came rushing into the room. It was Sif and she was dressed in her usual battle armor and dark red leather pants. When she saw Grace and Loki on the bed together she quickly apologized to them for this interruption. They both sat up and Graces hands rested on Loki's chest for a few moments as she gazed into his loving green eyes. Loki then looked over at Sif and asked, "What seems to be the problem?" He had a jovial smile on his face as he spoke.

Sif stared at them for a few moments. She could hardly recognize Loki. He was smiling! When she finally found her voice, a warning came out of her mouth. "It is the king. He suspects something. He is coming to your chamber." Sif answered urgently.

Upon hearing this, a look of sheer terror entered into Loki's eyes as he thought of his father discovering Grace in his chamber and throwing her in prison to be killed the next morning. Grace knew this and wrapped her arms warmly around him and embraced him from behind as she rested her head on his shoulder. Loki then put one of his hands over her hands and looked over his shoulder at her. He smiled weakly at her then as a single tear ran down the left side of her face.

Sif saw this and added quietly, "You probably have a few minutes if you want to hide, Grace."

You would have thought that the bed had been set on fire. Loki jumped up so quickly and he picked Grace up and opened the trunk at the end of his bed. He looked at her and asked, "Is this alright? My father will never look in here."

Grace looked down into the trunk and then back up at Loki and asked, "Do you think I will fit in there?"

"It is bigger than it looks." Loki said as he set Grace down inside it. Before she lay down, he rushed over to the couch and grabbed a small pillow. He then brought it back for her and laid it down on the far side of the trunk. Once he stood up again he looked into Grace's bright blue eyes and said as he put his hand tenderly on the side of her face, "If there was any other place I know that my father would not search, that is where I would have you hide. I am sorry."

Grace smiled weakly at him and stood on her tip toes as she kissed Loki on the lips gently. She then gracefully lay down inside of the trunk in the fetal position as Loki slowly closed the lid. Just before he was out of view and everything went dark, Grace could have sworn that she saw a tear run down the left side of Loki's face.

After Sif quickly left the room, Grace heard three pairs of heavy footsteps coming into the room. She then heard the voice of the All Father yelling and shouting in an extremely aggravated tone of voice at Loki. He was demanding to know if he had still been sneaking off to see the mortal or if he had brought the mortal here to Asgard. Then she heard Loki deny his father's claims which was closely followed by objects clattering onto the floor as the other two men who came into the room with the All Father searched for her. It followed in this same fashion for what seemed like hours.

Graces heart seemed to be pounding in her chest a million miles per hour as the footsteps got closer to the trunk that she was hiding in. As the footsteps stopped near the trunk, she placed her hands over her mouth so they could not hear her raged breathing. Suddenly, the lid to the trunk was flung open and a blinding light shown in on her. On instinct, she raised her hands in front of her face to block the light. Then a pair of hands reached in and grabbed her by the wrists and pulled her out as she protested and shouted with her eyes screwed tightly closed. She fought against this person with all her might as she tried to hit and scratch this person. It even seemed like her blows landed a few times.

The hands around Grace's wrists remained tight as she fought against them with all her might. She did not even hear as someone called her name. The hands then gripped her shoulders and pulled her into a tight embrace. Once she was in that individuals arms she noticed that there was something extremely familiar with the way she was being held. She stopped fighting then and opened her eyes slowly to find that Loki was the one who held her in his arms. They had not been discovered after all.

"I am sorry, Loki." Grace apologized as she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and laid her head on his chest.

Loki kissed her on the top of her head and asked, "For what, my dear?"

"I hit and scratched at you." Grace replied as her arms remained wrapped tightly around Loki's waist.

"Listen to me, Grace." Loki said as he placed one of his hands under her chin and lifted her gaze to meet his. "You were only defending yourself. I should have let your eyes adjust to the change in lighting before I pulled you out. I was just too excited." He smiled then and Grace saw a scratch on his chin that was bleeding slightly.

Grace gasped and released Loki's waist and reached up to his face and tenderly touched the scratch. "Did I do that?" She asked as it healed before her eyes.

Loki smiled at her and answered, "Do not worry about it." He then tenderly grasped Graces hand and brought it up to his lips and kissed it gently. She blushed and grinned lightly as she looked down at the ground. Loki could not help smiling when he saw this act of modestly on her face that she displayed often.

After a few moments, Loki spoke, "Grace," He paused for a moment as he tried to form the correct words to say and how they would accomplish what he was about to ask. Grace looked up at him and her bright blue eyes were ablaze with adoration in the dim light of the room. Loki lost his voice for a few moments when he noticed this. He just stood there and looked at her and marveled at her beauty. Her short brown hair was beginning to grow out and it was now almost shoulder length. Her thin fragile frame was covered with a white bed dress and the bracelet that he had given her was around her dainty wrist. That someone as beautiful as her would love someone as broken as he was completely baffled him.

Grace watched him as he tried to form the right words to say to her. Loki stood in front of her with her right hand held tightly to his chest as he gazed down into her eyes. His black hair was beginning to grow back as well and was just a bit past his shoulders. As he looked down into her eyes he felt his heart begin to beat faster. Grace could feel this for he was holding her hand over his heart. "Loki?" Grace whispered. "I think you were going to ask me something."

"Oh… That is correct. What was it?" Loki inquired.

Grace laughed and wrapped her other arm around his waist in a tight embrace. Loki smiled and kissed the top of her head as he wrapped his other arm around her waist. After they stood there for a few moments, Loki said, "I remember what I was going to ask now."

"What was it?" Grace asked as her head laid against Loki's chest with her eyes closed.

"Would you like to go for a walk in the garden?" Loki asked.

Grace pulled away from him slightly and looked up at him as she said with shock in her voice, "I thought that was too dangerous to go outside?"

"Not if we go walk at night while all of the others sleep." Loki answered. "Besides," Loki paused for a moment as he picked her up and held her in his arms. "I would love for you to see the gardens that my mother tended to while she lived."

Grace leaned her head against his shoulder as Loki walked over to the couch and sat down. She sat beside him as her legs lay draped across his lap on the couch and as he leaned back, Grace again rested her head on his chest and listened to his strong heart beat as he wrapped his arms around her once more. "It would be an honor to see your mothers' garden, Loki." Grace said softly after a few moments.


	11. You Are Loved

That night, Loki led Grace by hand out of the castle past the vast colorful garden. In Loki's other hand was a basket full of fresh breads and cheeses with a light cloth over it. The night air had a slight chill to it and the stars were just beginning to shine through the curtain of black that had been drawn over the sky. There seemed to be countless more stars in the sky then Grace had ever seen before. Could it be because she was walking by Loki's side? Or could it be because she was on another planet? Or was it possible that it was both of those explanations combined?

Thor was in such a hurry to bring Grace to Asgard that he had completely forgotten to grab her cane. So, Loki had given her a golden staff which she refused to use for some reason. But Grace seemed to be getting stronger and stronger with each passing moment for as she walked beside Loki, it seemed like she did not even need the assistance of a cane after all. In fact, he noticed that she was hardly limping at all as they strolled along a stone path side by side.

Grace was wearing a long green robe and a black cape around her shoulders and her brown hair was pulled back revealing her high cheekbones. Her left hand was gripping Loki's right hand tightly with their fingers intertwined with each other as they walked in silence. Loki was wearing a large dark green shirt with brown clothe pants as well as a black cape. His soft green eyes seemed to be set on something in the distance as they strode hand in hand past the garden.

"Where are we going?" Grace asked as she looked up at Loki questioningly.

"I have a delivery that I have to make first, Grace. Then we shall head to the garden." He answered as he looked down into her eyes and smiled.

A few minutes later, both Grace and Loki came to a group of people sitting on the sidewalk leaning against a brick wall. They were all huddled close together as they tried to keep warm on this cold night. There were at least ten people there and they all appeared to be emaciated.

Once they got closer, Grace let go of Loki's hand and took her cape off and draped it around the shoulders of an elderly woman who was shivering prominently from the cold. The woman then looked up at her and smiled appreciatively as she pulled the cape tighter around her thin shoulders. Loki then presented the basket of food and they both handed the items of food that was contained within the basket out to those who were present.

One of the women came up to Grace and said, "Thank you very much, young lady. Now my children do not have to go to sleep hungry. They can stay off the streets tomorrow." She then pulled Grace into a tight grateful embrace. Loki watched as Grace received a hug from this relieved mother and a smile grew on his face as he watched her interact with all of the other people who were there.

Loki was not listening to them as they all spoke to Grace as she passed amongst them handing out nourishment. Most of them said "thank you," others said "bless you both". Then an elderly man came up to her and asked, "How do you know, Prince Loki? Are you betrothed to him?"

Grace paused for a moment as she processed what she was asked. Finally, she answered with a bright smile on her face, "We are really good friends. We have known each other for about a year and a half now. And in that time," She paused and looked back at him for a quick glance. She then looked back at the man who had questioned her and finished her statement, "I have grown to love him greatly."

The man raised his bushy white eyebrows and asked, "A year? This is the first time I see you when he has known you and loved you for a year and a half?!"

Grace was confused and asked, "How long has he been coming distributing food to you?"

"Once a week for a little over a month." Came the reply from a woman who was sitting directly behind them.

Her blue eyes opened wide with shock and she turned to Loki and asked, "Is this true?" Grace took a step closer to him and gently took his hand. "Have you really been bringing food out of the castle to them for over a month?"

Loki took a small step forward and intertwined his fingers with hers as he answered, "That is correct." His voice was low and soft as he responded to her. "You have opened my eyes, Grace. There are many who need something as simple as food while others have more than enough. I cannot just sit idly by while I can give them what they require."

Grace smiled and responded, "I am glad to hear that you are assisting people that require help. But, is this allowed? Taking food out of the palace and distributing it." She inquired.

Loki looked up into the sky and sighed. "Not exactly, but I just cannot let the food that we do not eat go to waste. They truly need the nourishment." He protested as he gazed back into her bright blue eyes.

"Loki, you are not on trial. There is no need to get defensive." Grace responded with a large smile on her face as she wrapped her arms around him in a tight warm embrace.

Loki returned the embrace as he kissed her on the forehead. Needless to say, both Loki and Grace were oblivious of their audience. On of the woman whom had thanked Grace for the food smiled and thought, "She is obviously of a lower birth then he is. It is evident from her leg brace. Is she even Asgardian? I wonder if the king will let them be together. Will Loki disregard his father's command yet again?"

After all of the food was distributed, both Loki and Grace strode in silence towards the garden. Once again, they walked hand in hand with their fingers intertwined. Loki had given his cape to Grace so that she could stay warm and it blew in the gentle breeze as she walked gracefully over the pavement.

Grace gasped and put her hand over her mouth when they came to the garden. There were hundreds if not thousands of beautiful flowers there of every color under the sky. She let go of Loki's hand and walked over to some large dark blue blossoms and fingered them gently as if she was afraid that this was a dream. She then slowly brought it to her nose and took a gentle whiff of the fragrance. It was a light delicate fragrance that reminded her of her mother.

Grace then dropped down to her knees and wept silently. Loki was by her side in an instant as he knelt beside her and wrapped his arms warmly around her. They remained there for a few moments until Grace had finished weeping. Loki then said, "Forgive me, Grace. I did not mean to make you grieve. I thought you would enjoy seeing the garden." He was now facing her and his right hand was resting gently on the side of her face.

Grace smiled and looked into his distressed green eyes and answered, "There is no need for you to apologize, my love." Their faces were about four inches apart as they spoke in hushed tones to each other. "The fragrance of that flower just reminded me of a perfume that my mother would wear around the house often." Grace kissed him gently on the lips then and said quietly as their lips still remained close together, "Thank you for bringing me here, Loki. The past few days have been the best days of my life."

Loki then put his right hand behind her head and pulled her into a deep passionate kiss which she returned gratefully. Loki then lay back onto the soft bed of green grass and Grace followed him and lay gently on his chest as they continued to share their affection with each other. Once they their lips parted, Grace laid her head on his chest as he rested one of his hands behind his head and the other on her shoulder as they both gazed up at the stars together.

After a few moments, Grace spoke up. "Loki?" She asked with nerves clear in her shaking voice.

Hearing this, Loki grew concerned and asked, "What is wrong, Grace?"

After a few moments of silence, Grace asked as she sat up and looked into his eyes. "Do you think Beth is alright at Jane's house?"

"Of course she is. Why would she not be?" Loki answered with a smile upon his face. Grace smiled back at him and leaned over and kissed him sweetly on the cheek then returned to laying her head on his chest with her right hand over his heart. He knew that the question that she asked was not really what was troubling her but he decided to let it go for now. She would ask when she was ready to.

They remained there for a few moments and Grace fell asleep resting her head on his chest as the sound of his strong heart beat filled her dreams. Loki lay there listening to her gentle breathing as he watched the night sky above him. Since he met her, it seemed as if he was alive and could now see the all beauty that was around him constantly. Yet, while Grace was around, she was the only beauty that he could see. He could not keep her out of his mind whether she was with him or not.

As Loki lay there on the grass, a few stars began to fall overhead in a brilliant display of fiery lights. He grinned and gently roused Grace from her sleep. When she opened her eyes, she gasped in fear as she sat up and tried to scoot backwards toward the castle never taking her eyes off the fire in the sky. Loki sat up as well and put his hands comfortingly at her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Grace," He said tenderly as she looked into his green eyes. "Everything is alright. This is what I was showing you in the sky while we were on the roof of your house a few days ago."

Terror was plain to see in her bright blue eyes as she responded in a shaking voice, "But, this looks different. How can it be the same?" Grace hugged up to him and trebled slightly as the fiery lights shot through the sky.

As Loki wrapped his arms comfortingly around her and she hid her face in his chest, he kissed the top of her head and said, "Well, you are seeing this as it really is now. I tamed it down a bit that night." Grace tentatively looked up into the sky and was mesmerized in an instant. The vibrant reds and yellows shot through the sky constantly.

Grace then let go of Loki and turned around. She leaned back against his chest as she remained captivated by the spectacle in the sky. Loki looked down at her and watched her face as he grasped her hand tenderly. They watched the spectacle in the sky together for at least a half hour and when it began to fade Loki asked her, "Would you like to go back inside now?"

Grace let go of his hand and wrapped her arms around him and said, "Just a few more moments out here with you, please." She then kissed him on the lips tenderly and as he kissed her back he noticed something different. Was it relief? Or was it something else entirely? Putting it out of his mind, he placed his hand tenderly behind her head as they shared their love with each other.

Once they separated, Grace stayed a few centimeters away from kissing him once more as she said quietly, "I love you, Loki. It saddens my heart that I will have to leave you soon."

Loki took a deep breath and replied softly, "You can stay here if you wish." He stroked the side of her face tenderly as he gazed adoringly into her blue eyes. "But I must warn you, it will not be safe."

"I do not care if it is safe or not. I am with you. Wherever you are is where I belong." Grace answered as she rested her head on his chest once more. When he heard her say this, he felt the undeniable urge to kiss her deeply like never before. But he resisted because another worry was coming to mind.

"What about Beth? Are we just to leave her at Jane's house?" Loki asked as his hand rested warmly on her shoulder.

Grace's eyes remained closed as she answered drowsily, "Let us confront that when we come to it." She yawned then and Loki saw this.

His kissed her forehead and said, "I am going to carry you into the palace now. You need your rest." Grace nodded her head. Then Loki put one of his arms around her back and the other under her legs and picked her up and began to carry her inside.

Once they were inside his chambers, Loki set her down on his bed and walked over to lie on the couch but Grace stopped him by calling his name. He turned around and saw that she was sitting up as she said, "Why don't you come lie with me? We were to be married at a time."

Loki smiled and replied, "I would like that very much." He then walked over to the side of his bed. When he got close, Grace moved over and as he sat down she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips sweetly. He climbed under the covers and leaned back on to the bed as Grace laid her head down on his chest as her arms remanded wrapped around his waist. Loki enfolded her in a tight embrace as they slept together in each other's arms that night.

The next morning, Grace awoke alone on a vast bed with green silk and black satin sheets. She bolted upright and looked around and saw a large room with numerous books and a few pieces of furniture scattered around. She stood up and walked over to the books and carefully examined them. Some of them were very old and the binding was falling apart from constant use. Others seemed to be brand new. There were hardly any cracks in the spines of these books. She picked up one of the books that was read often and examined the cover. It was a worn red leather cover and the title was in gold script writing 'The Music of the Night'. The title was puzzling. Why would Loki have a book like this in his room? Even more disturbing was why would he read it?

At that moment, the door opened and Loki entered his chamber holding a few items of food wrapped in a white napkin in his grasp. He saw Grace examining one of his books in her hand with a confused look on her face so he said, "That was my mother's favorite book. I wanted to hold onto it because it helps me feel closer to her."

Grace looked back at him and smiled warmly. "I wish I had something from my mother as nice as a book. All I really have from her is a few hair brushes." She returned the book back onto the shelf and walked over to Loki who was setting the food on his bedside table. He poured a glass of water for her and set it beside a plate with bread, cheese, and a few pieces of ham on it.

Grace sat down on his bed and looked at the food that he had brought for her and then looked back up at him with a smile on her face. Loki looked at her questioningly and asked, "Did I forget something?"

"Yes." Grace answered plainly. Loki just looked at her and as he waited for her to tell what he hand forgot, and a smile grew on his pale face as he got a sneaking suspicion what it was. "I have not gotten my morning kiss from you." Loki smiled and leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on the lips. She kissed him back and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Grace lay back onto the bed and Loki followed her down. His torso rested on top of her lightly as they kiss and she griped his hand tenderly and brought it up to her hip. Her hand then moved to his wrist as she moved his hand under her shirt and placed it onto the bare skin of her side. Loki then pulled out of the kiss and asked her, "What are you doing?" His hand was still resting on her side under her shirt as he remained close to her.

"I think it is about time we made love to each other, do you not agree?" Grace answered.

"Yes." Loki answered as he leaned back down and kissed her all the more passionately. He kissed her neck a few times traveling down towards her chest and Grace closed her eyes and moaned softly as she relished the feel of his soft cold lips against her skin. She reached down and began to slowly pull his shirt up over his head when he pulled away once again and said, "Wait." He backed up a few steps and Grace sat up and bit her bottom lip as she watched him pace back and forth slightly. "We should not do this."

Grace stood and walked rather gracefully up to him and answered by saying, "If you are worried about your scars, I do not care. I love you. I want to be with you."

Loki smiled and placed his hand on the right side of her face lovingly and responded softly, "I love you more then you know. You have completely turned my life around. I want to make love to you so badly. But, I know, my mother would not be proud of me if I did. We are not married yet."

Grace then grasped his hand gently and asked, "We love each other. Why does that matter?" She desperately searched his green eyes for an answer to her question.

Loki pulled her in closer to himself as he looked into her blue eyes, "It matters to me." He paused for a moment and kissed her sweetly on the lips which she responded by throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him passionately. Once their lips parted, Loki said, "My mother had told my brother and I that it is not right for a man to make love to a woman that he cares greatly for unless they are married to each other. Even though she is gone, I would still like to honor her wishes."

Grace smiled and replied, "Alright, my love. I will honor your wishes."

Loki smiled and brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it as he looked into her blue eyes appreciatively. Grace parted her lips and asked, "Will you at least sit with me while I eat? Maybe even eat some of the food that you brought as well so it does not go to waste."

Loki smiled and answered, "Of course." He sat down beside her on the bed and grabbed a piece of bread and ate it as Grace ate a piece of cheese.

Later, Loki was sitting with the warriors of Asgard silently as he stared into space. Thoughts of Grace filled his mind as the warriors spoke to each other. Suddenly, he could feel the bench he was sitting on shift as someone sat beside him. He looked up and saw that it was Thor. He wore a smile on his rough face as he asked quietly, "How is everything going with Grace here, brother?"

"Father searched my chambers for her yesterday. Sif came in and warned us so Grace had time to hide in the chest at the end of my bed." Loki answered as he return his gaze to some unseen object on the floor. "He did not find her, but it got me thinking."

Thor looked over at the fellow warriors for a moment and saw that they were content to just swap war stories amongst each other. He then looked back at Loki and asked, "What did you determine?"

"She has to go back to Midgard. Even though I love having her here with me, it is not safe for her to remain. Besides, she is needed there much more then I need her here." Loki answered as he fingered the empty goblet he was holding in his pale grasp.

Thor looked down at the ground and put his hand on his brothers back comfortingly, "I will see if I can convince father to let you visit her."

"No," Loki protested. "Father will never allow that. He probably would be happy to know that I am miserable. I know what has to be done and I would gladly do it for her."

Thor grinned slightly and responded quietly, "That is very honorable, brother."

Loki looked up at him and smiled weakly as put his hand on Thor's shoulder warmly. He then stood up as he casually walked out of the room. Loki walked back to his chamber with a heavy heart as he contemplated what he would say to Grace.

When Loki reached his chamber and opened the door, he found Grace lying asleep on his bed with his mother's favorite book lying open on her chest. She must have fallen asleep while reading it. He smiled and walked over to the side of the bed and picked up the book and put it on his nightstand. He then looked back at her and sat down beside Grace and gently brushed the hair away from her face.

Grace opened her eyes and saw Loki leaning over her with a calm grin on his face. She smiled brightly and tenderly stroked his face as she whispered, "Hello, darling."

Loki smiled and answered quietly, "Do you want to go out again tonight? Or do you just want to remain in here?" As he spoke, he ran his hand through her short brown hair.

Grace thought for a few moments as she gazed into his loving green eyes. She then put her right hand on his chest over his heart and responded, "It does not matter to me. As long as I am with you, I am content." She smiled up at him and he took her hand off of his chest and kissed the palm of her hand tenderly. She knew that there was something troubling him but she did not have to ask for she already knew what it was. She would have to return to earth soon and he would not be able to come with her.

Loki just sat there and gazed into her eyes for a few moments as he held her hand tightly close to his chest. Grace looked up into his gentle green eyes as she ran her free hand through his black hair. She was wearing a long black skirt and one of Loki's green shirts and it was too big for her. It was shifted slightly and her shoulder was hanging out of the large V line neck hole. They remained like this for a few moments when eventually, Grace sat up and said, "I hope you do not mind that I wore one of your shirts as I slept." He smiled and thought to himself that maybe she should keep it. If she took it with her back to Midgard, she would have something physical to remember him by.

"Not at all, sweetheart." Loki said as he carefully fixed the large shirt on her. "It looks really nice on you. In fact, you can keep it if you like."

Grace thanked him by pulling him into a warm embrace in an attempt to hide her tears. Loki knew that she was crying for he could feel her body trembling slightly as his arms wrapped around her fondly. "What can I do to cheer you up, Grace?" Loki whispered lovingly in her ear.

"Just hold me close and do not let go." Grace answered with distress clear in her sweet voice. In response, Loki wrapped his arms tighter around her in a warm embrace as she rested her head on his shoulder.

They remained in this position for quite a while as their arms remained around each other in a warm comforting embrace. Grace would not have to leave for two days, but she was already starting to feel the pain of being separated from him. After a few minutes, Loki pulled away slightly and put his hand gently under her chin and pulled her in to a soft kiss. She kissed him back and they shared one of their most affectionate kisses yet.

Once the kiss ended, they lay down and just rested at each other's side and held the other close with their eyes closed just breathing in the other person's presence. Loki was the one to break the silence when he whispered as his eyes remained closed, "You know what I think, Grace?"

Grace smiled and answered, "What?" Her eyes were closed as well as she responded to him.

Loki's voice was trembling slightly as he spoke to her in hushed tones. "I think that, besides my mother, you and Beth are the only ones who will ever love me for me. I have really enjoyed having you here with me. Now, some bitter twist of fate is pulling us apart once again."

Grace's eyes shot open and she sat up quickly as she looked down at him. Loki had opened his eyes as well and was gazing up at her questioningly. Grace shook her head and smiled as she answered, "Listen to me, Loki. You are loved more than you can possibly imagine. When I returned to my house after Beth and I visited you in the prison, there were ten, if not more, bouquets of flowers all with cards stating in one way or another that you would be greatly missed. Everyone that we visited, everyone that we helped, grew to love you almost as much as I do." Grace paused for a moment then she added, "Thor loves you as well. You are aware of that, correct?"

As Loki listened to her speak, small tears had begun to form in his eyes. He could not believe his ears. The people of New York had forgiven him and loved him. When he heard her say that Thor shared in these feelings, he sat up and looked Grace in the eye and answered, "That is a comforting though. But I doubt it."

Grace smiled and looked down at the bed as she answered, "You know, I was originally not going to come up and see you. I was so hurt by what had transpired that I was not even going to glance at the letter that you sent Thor to deliver to me." She then looked up into his eager green eyes and continued by saying, "He changed my mind. He practically begged me to at least read the letter. There was so much passion and truth in his words that I knew I was being selfish by refusing."

Loki then kissed her lightly on the lips as a tear ran down the right side of his face. He whispered to her, "Thank you, Grace. I am glad that you told me."

Grace smiled weakly and gently wiped the tear off of his face. As Loki gazed into her tender blue eyes he wanted to lean forward and kiss her on the lips again, but he knew that it would just make the separation harder. So, he just pulled her into a tight embrace which lasted for only a few moments.

Loki pulled away and said, "I am going to go get dinner. I will be right back. I promise." Before he left, he kissed her on the forehead. Then he stood and walked towards the door of his chamber and turned around to look back at Grace who was still seated on his bed watching him with grief in her blue eyes. He smiled warmly at her and began to leave the room.

As soon as he turned his back, Grace suddenly called out his name loudly. Loki turned around quickly expecting to see her in danger but instead she was running up to him with her arms outstretched. He opened his arms and when she ran into them she wrapped her arms around his neck as she kissed him desperately on the lips. He returned the kiss and put his hand warmly behind her head. When they separated, Loki asked, "What was that about?"

"I am sorry. It is just that the last few times you said that, something terrible happened and my heart broke." Grace answered with sorrow clear in her sweet voice as she looked down at the floor.

Loki pulled her into a tight embrace and she rested her head on his chest as tears streamed down her face. He then said, "It is I who should apologize, Grace. I never meant to cause you heartache. I turns out that grief is all that can I bring to people. Grief and disappointment."

Grace pulled away and looked up at him as she said sternly as her arms remained wrapped around his waist, "That is not true! You brought so much joy to my house in the short time that you were with us! Joy and love!"

Loki then kissed Grace on the forehead and picked her up in his arms. He tenderly and lovingly carried her farther into his room and set her down on the edge of his bed. He knelt down at her feet and looked up at her as she sat there and pushed a strand of his black hair behind his ear as they gazed into each other's eyes adoringly. Loki then tenderly took her hand and raised it to his lips and he kissed it as said to her, "You know I love you, Grace. More than anything." He took both of her hands in his then and looked down at them. She was wearing the bracelet that he had given to her on her right wrist and the ring made out of his own hair on her left hand. He smiled brightly and looked back up into her eyes and said, "I cannot believe you are still wearing that ring." He chuckled and stood up slowly and kissed her on the lips. "I will be right back." He then walked to the door and looked back at her and smiled before he closed the door.

The next morning, Loki awoke on his bed under the covers. He was lying on his side as his arms were wound tightly around someone and their arms were around him lovingly. He knew who it was and he did not want to disturb her so he just lay there quietly. She was wearing Sif's white night dress as her head was resting on his chest once again as she slept peacefully with a grin on her face knowing that she was wrapped in his arms. Loki watched Grace sleep and remarked at how beautiful she was. Not just in body, but in spirit as well.

Grace then opened her eyes and looked up at him and smiled drowsily. "How are you this morning, Loki? Are you feeling alright?" She asked.

Loki smiled and responded sweetly, "How can I ever feel any less then alright when I have you to gaze upon?"

Grace blushed and looked down for a moment and then she looked back up at him and asked as she ran her right hand up his cold bare chest and hooked it around his neck, "May I ask what happened last night? Was it another nightmare?"

Loki winced and asked sheepishly, "Was I screaming again?"

"No. You were not screaming." Grace answered. She looked deep into his eyes and answered with a hint of sorrow in her voice, "At one point during the night I woke up shivering and when I cuddled up to you to warm myself, I noticed that you were colder then I was. I looked at you and your skin was blue with deeper blue swirls on it. What happened during the night?" She searched his eyes with desperation in her bright blue eyes.

Loki sighed and responded by saying sadly, "I must have slipped into my Jotun form during the night. Did I frighten you?"

Grace smiled slightly and replied, "I will admit, it was shocking at first. But, I was never once afraid, for I knew it was you."

"How? I must have looked drastically different." Loki commented.

Grace nodded her head and said, "At first I was not sure it was you. But after a few moments, I noticed that you still possessed the kindly gentle look to your face. After I recognized you, I cuddled up to you nonetheless. I knew it would be cold, but I had to try to warm you somehow."

Loki smiled and kissed her tenderly on the lips and as she kissed him back he placed his hands on her warm back as he pulled her in closer to him. They shared their passionate kiss with each other for about two minutes. After their lips parted, Loki rolled onto his back and Grace lay her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her once more. She grabbed his hand and began to play with it in the dim light of the dawn that was creeping in through the heavy drapes over the window.

Loki smiled and looked down at her and was caught off guard when he saw his arm. He was still in his Jotun form! Grace was lying on his blue scared chest as if nothing was different! She had seen his true form and had not run away! She had even kissed his cold blue lips!

As Grace lay on his chest, his skin began to turn white and his eyes turned green once again. Grace looked up at Loki and said, "I love you."

Loki looked down at her and replied with a loving voice, "I love you as well, Grace. Why did you not tell me that I was still in my Jotun form?"

Grace got a confused look on her face as she answered, "You were? I did not notice."

Loki put his hand under her chin and raised her lips to meet his. Grace's hand rested over his heart as it beat wildly for her. His arm was wrapped around her back as he began to slip back into his Jotun form. When he was in his full Jotun form, Grace could tell instantly, for his lips turned ice cold. But she did not care. She loved him.

Loki slowly sat up and Grace followed him. Once their lips parted, Grace looked into the red eyes of Loki in his Jotun form and fingered his cold lips gently with her pale delicate fingers as she affectionately examined his face. "You really are not afraid, are you?" he asked quietly.

Grace smiled and cocked her head slightly as she answered softly, "Should I be?"

Loki smiled back and leaned forward and kissed her again. Grace smiled and kissed him back. "I guess not." Loki said with a smile as they were still kissing. She then started to giggle as he kissed her on the lips and ran his cold hand over her face in a soft caress.

Later that day, Loki was walking around in the market place and his bright green eyes scanned the shops for the jeweler that he had obtained the bracelet from. He was going to get a proper ring for Grace. He walked for a few minutes in the bright sun light as children ran around and chased after each other laughing the whole time. Loki smiled as he listened to them laughing and watched as they ran circles around him. The street was packed with people as Loki walked along the path with a deep blue shirt and brown trousers on. Some of the people recognized him and bowed politely to him and he responded in kind to them.

As Loki approached the jeweler, thoughts of Grace filled his mind. He was going to have to find her something very extraordinary. She had seen him in his Jotun form and loved him the same. She was not afraid of his cold blue skin or his bright red eyes. He smiled as he advanced towards the jeweler.

A short plump lady with long black hair and dark brown eyes smiled brightly when she saw him coming. "Ah… Loki…" She waddled up to him and preformed a low bow to him. "Did your lady friend like your last gift to her?"

"She did. She never takes it off. Thank you very much for your help with picking it out, Madame Zella." Loki answered with a smile after he had bowed back to her. "Now I need your help finding something else, if you have time."

Madame Zella clapped her hands once and began walking back to her shop with Loki in tow. Once they were inside, there were many pieces of exquisite jewelry on tables and in bowels. There were gold and silver pieces and some that were a combination of both. There were some with rhinestones and gemstones in them as well as some without any. Madame Zella turned to him and asked, "What can I help you find today?"

Loki lowered his voice and said, "I would like you to help me pick out," He paused a moment and looked into Madame Zella's eager brown eyes. "A ring. I am going to ask Grace to marry me."

Madame Zella practically squealed. She rushed up to Loki and gave him a tight embrace. "You are going to propose to her, and you come to me for a ring? This is so wonderful!"

Loki found himself telling her more then he planned to when he said, "Well, I cannot really go to the royal jeweler because my father does not exactly approve of my relationship with her."

Madame Zella smiled all the brighter and said, "Well, if you ask me, I think forbidden love is the best. Can you tell me about her?"

Loki took a deep breath and answered quietly, "Grace is the most beautiful person I have ever met. I fell in love with her the first day that I was with her. I tried so hard to resist her because I knew that it could not end well, but her gentle tender nature forbid it. I could not help myself." Again, he told her more then he intended to.

Madame Zella clapped her hands and rubbed them together as she said, "Then we are going to have to find something spectacular for her." She then walked behind a curtain for a moment and when she came back she was carrying a tray with a hundred lovely rings on it. "Here are the most beautiful rings that I have now. Whenever a new shipment comes in, I go through it and take the most beautiful items out and keep it in the back for whenever my more exclusive clients come in."

Loki smiled and looked down at all of the rings on the tray that Madame Zella had set down. There were so many lovely rings there that it almost took his breath away. Yet, there was one in particular that reminded him greatly of Grace. It was a simple yellow gold, black gold, and white gold bands loosely braided together with a four small diamonds on the line between them. It was like the light was shared evenly between the three colors in the ring.

Madame Zella watched as Loki examined the ring in his hand closely and a smile formed on her face. "You like that one?" She asked.

Loki looked up at her and answered, "I love this one. It reminds me so much of her." He paused for a moment as he thought of Grace. "Is it alright if I get two rings? One for her and one for myself? My father is not going to allow her to stay here."

Madame Zella answered with a hint of sympathy in her voice, "Buy one get one free. For my best customer only." Loki then smiled and bowed to her slightly and she giggled in response. After he paid for the first ring and took a second one for him to keep, he thanked Madame Zella and left her tent of jewelry and walked casually back to the castle.

Grace was in his room sitting on the bed with a book in her hand when Loki came waltzing in with a large bright smile on his face. She smiled and jumped up off of the bed and ran the short distance over to him with her arms outstretched. Loki saw her running up to him so he quickly closed the door to his chamber and opened his arms for her to run into.

Once she was in his arm, Loki lifted her off the ground and kissed Grace sweetly on the lips. Today was her last day here with him; he had to make it special. He had a few ideas of how to do that. But first, there was a more pressing matter that can to mind.

Once they separated, Loki asked, "Hey Grace, where my eyes just deceiving me, or did you just run up to me?" He was seated on the couch and Grace sat by his side as her legs where draped over his lap with her head resting on his chest.

"I did run, Loki. In these past few days, being here with you, I believe I have been recovering. I will even go as far as to say that your love helped me get better." Grace looked up at him after she answered and saw a warm loving look on his pale face. She then reached up and kissed him warmly on the cheek. In response, Loki kissed her back on the lips.

Suddenly, the door swung open and King Odin came stomping into the room pointing a threatening finger at them shouting, "I thought this was over, Loki!"

Loki and Grace then stood up and Loki began by saying, "Father, let me explain…" But he got cut off by the king as he continued to scream at them.

The All Father continued to shout at them for about five minutes before Loki shouted loudly, "I love her! Whether you like it or not, we will find a way to be together. If not in body then in spirit."

As soon as Loki had begun shouting at his father, Odin stopped shouting and listened to him. You could tell that the wheels were turning in his head as he devised a way to shame Grace and force her to leave Asgard. A slight devious smile formed on his face when he thought of an idea. "Alright, Loki. Have it your way. Bring her to the dance tonight. Show your weak little human off to the rest of Asgard."

Loki smiled brightly and thanked his father. But then, once his father had left, he realized what he was trying to do. He turned to Grace and said, "We should not go. He is trying to humiliate you."

Grace kissed him on the cheek and replied, "Well, I have a thick skin. It is hard to humiliate me." She then walked over behind the couch and looked back at him as she finished her statement, "Besides, I do not need my brace on anymore. And…" She paused and looked down at her feet then back up at him as she smiled brightly. "I have been practicing."


	12. When You Say You Love Me

p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki was wearing his golden breastplate and black leather pants with his green cape as he walked into the grand hall holding the hand of a charming pale woman in a long green gown who stood about a foot shorter then him with a gold band resting in her soft brown hair. Her cheerful blue eyes scanned the occupants of the room as a bright smile rested on her face. Once they were on the dance floor, Grace turned to Loki and smiled all the brighter as she put one of her hands on his shoulder and the other around his waist./span/p  
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p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"The music began to play then as the musicians began to strum their instruments of gold and silver. They started to dance to the music then and they both moved with exceptional grace as they waltzed around the room and expertly navigated the other dancers in the room. Loki held Grace tightly in his arms as they swayed in sync with each other and they gazed into the eyes of their partner./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""You dance very well, Grace." Loki said with a bright smile on his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"She blushed slightly and glanced down at the ground as she replied, "Thank you, Loki." Grace then pulled him a bit closer to herself and rested her head on his chest as they waltzed about the room./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Odin was watching them closely out of his hard blue eye. He saw the look of love in their eyes as they gazed almost unblinkingly at each other. He sat on his throne at the end of the hall and puzzled over them. He watched as Thor walked up to them and spoke with them for a few minutes and Grace laughed as he told a joke. Then, Loki stepped to the side as Thor took Grace for a spin about the room. During that time, they spoke to each other and smiled as Loki kept a close eye on them. Another woman with blonde hair and a bright red dress tried to get his attention by talking to him in seductive tones, but he just brushed her off and watched as his brother danced with Grace./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"As Loki watched Grace and his brother together, the ring seemed to burn a hole in his pocket. Should he wait until they were at the Bifrost to give her the ring? Or should he just give her the ring when they were back in each other's arms in his chambers? She looked so beautiful right at this moment. He had to fight himself because he wanted to run up to her and snatch her out of his brother's arms and kiss her violently on the lips. He did not care if his father saw them. He just wanted to kiss her./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"As Grace was dancing with Thor, she caught a glimpse of Loki as he watched them together. She noticed that he was fighting an urge of some kind. His jaw was clenched tightly and he was leaning heavily against the wall. It was almost as if he was fighting the urge to walk over to her and take her out of his brother's arms and into his. In fact, she secretly hoped he would. Thor was nice and all, but he was not Loki. His hands were rough and clumsy compared to his brother's soft tender touch. She wanted to be in his arms again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki saw her say something to Thor and, in response; he smiled at her and looked up at his brother. Thor then spun her around and released her and she continued to spin up on her toes as she spotted Loki and headed in his direction. She looked like a prima ballerina as she spun his way. Loki stood up straight and smiled when she grew close and he reached out his arms and grasped her hands tenderly in his when she outstretched them towards him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Did you have a good time with Thor?" Loki asked in a hushed tone./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Yes I did." Grace answered with a smile on her face. "But, I prefer being with you." She looked deeply into his green eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck. "He is no you."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki smiled and pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed her on the forehead. Grace giggled lightly and stood on her tip toes and kissed him sweetly on the lips. The entire world seemed to fade away and the music slowed down and became more romantic as their lips moved in sync with each other. Loki leaned forward and she leaned back as his arms supported her as they shared a loving kiss with each other while they stood in the dance hall oblivious of the other people in the room./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Then, Loki pulled away and got down on one knee as he looked into her bright blue eyes and retrieved the ring out of his pocket. He held it in out in front of him in his hand and watched as Grace gasped and put her hands over her mouth when she saw the ring in his grasp. "Grace, I love you more than anything in all the nine realms. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He asked as he searched her eyes for an answer to his question./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace was speechless. The ring was beyond beautiful! It was three different color gold bands loosely braided together with four small diamonds on it along with green sparks in the all of golden bands. She was not expecting such a beautiful ring. In fact, she was not even expecting anything. She looked into his eyes and saw that there was sincere and honest love there along with a slight amount of sorrow. She smiled and replied by offering her hand to him and as he slipped the ring on her hand over the ring made of hair, she placed her hand under his chin and looked lovingly into his green eyes. "It would be a privilege, Loki." She whispered to him. He then rose to his feet and kissed her passionately./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Then, someone started clapping and they both looked over and saw Thor standing there with a bright smile on his face. He then walked up to them and gave both Loki and Grace a tight embrace. He grabbed Loki's shoulder and dragged him over to the drink table and shouted, "Everyone! May I have your attention for a moment please?" The music stopped and everyone looked over at them. "My brother, Loki, has just gotten engaged!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"There was scattered weak applause all about the room. One of people in the crowd shouted, "Who is it? Who would be mad enough to marry him?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace then walked to Loki's side and took his hand comfortingly. "I am." She stood there beside him and looked out at the crowd as they fell silent and murmured amongst each other. Who was this? Why had they never seen her before? Was she even Asgardian?/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki squeezed her hand and Grace looked up at him and smiled. Loki turned to Thor and said quietly, "I never planned for the whole assembly to know that I intend to marry Grace. Why did you do that?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Thor looked at Loki and said, "Because I want them to know that you do indeed have a heart. All they know is that you caused a great amount of disorder and blood shed all across the nine realms. I cannot bear for them to think of you as a monster."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace squeezed his hand and looked up at him as Thor said those last few words as if she was saying 'See, I told you he cared'. Loki wanted to kiss her then and there, but he did not for the sake of the people watching. Grace, however, had other ideas. She stood on her tip toes and kissed him tenderly on the lips as she gently wrapped her arms around his neck. It almost seemed as if everyone in the room fell silent as they kissed each other once again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"As Odin watched them kiss each other on the lips, he smiled. Maybe he had been too cruel to his son. He was in love. After all, he may have done the exact same thing if he was forbidden to see Frigga before they were married. Perhaps he should allow them to have one night together as a wedded couple. Then, she had to go back to Midgard. He could not afford to let this infraction go unpunished./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"He walked up to them and when he was at their side, Odin said in hushed tones to Loki, "Perhaps I have been too hard on you. I remember what it was like when Frigga and I were young, we could hardly keep our hands off each other. Because of that, I will allow you two to have one night together as a wedded couple. There is nothing more I can do. You disobeyed me, Loki. I cannot allow it to go unchallenged. She will still have to leave." He then turned to Grace and said, "Clearly, I cannot keep you two apart even if I tried. You can get married tomorrow afternoon."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace smiled and thanked Odin warmly whereas Loki was suspicious. Odin has never been that kind to him before. It was unfamiliar to him. He watched his father walk away with a stunned expression on his face. Grace looked up at him and saw a shocked puzzled look upon his face and she squeezed his hand as she asked, "What is wrong?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Nothing, it is just that Odin is being pleasant to me. I am not use to it." Loki responded./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace stood on her tip toes and placed her slender hand on the side of his face and kissed his cheek. "I am glad he is. You have had enough scorn in your life."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki smiled and tenderly grasped her hand as he kissed her forehead, "You have changed my life. Thank you, Grace." He replied./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace giggled and laid her head against his chest as they resumed dancing to the music played by the Asgardian musicians./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Later, when Loki and Grace were heading back to his chamber hand in hand, Sif stepped in front of them. She had a soft look in her deep green eyes as she wore a long soft purple dress with her long black hair hanging lose to her waist. There was a kind smile on her face as she said to them, "I would like to offer my congratulations on the announcement of your marriage. Over the past month, I have begun to see you a bit differently, Loki. Now that I met Grace, I understand why you changed. She is a truly lovely lady. Congratulations again." Sif bowed politely to both of them and then she walked away./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Once again, Loki was stunned. Two people who are usually unkind and cruel to him being considerate. Did Grace do something? If so, he liked it. It would give him something else to remember her by once she leaves./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Once they were in his chamber and were lying in each other's arms, Grace asked, "Loki, may I ask you a question?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki smiled and replied, "Yes, of course you can."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace looked up at him and asked, "If we have children, what will they be?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki chuckled and responded, "They will be our children. What else will they be?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""I know they will be our children." Grace paused for a moment and took a deep breath as Loki looked into her troubled eyes. "I am a human and you are a Frost Giant. Will they be a Frost Human or something like that?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki laughed lightly as he pulled her into a tighter embrace. "I am not sure, darling." He kissed her forehead and continued, "But personally, I hope they look like you. I hope they have your bright blue eyes, your pale completion, and your loving heart."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace smiled and responded, "You do realize that that last one was not a physical characteristic, correct?" Loki nodded his head. "Well, I hope that they have your loving green eyes, your beautiful smile, and your gentle voice."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki smiled and kissed her on the cheek. Then he sat up and got off of the bed and began to walk across the room toward the couch. Grace sat up and asked, "Where are you going?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki looked back at her and saw Grace sitting up on his bed that was covered in black and green satin sheets. She was wearing Sif's white nightdress once again as she looked at him with sorrow and confusion in her blue eyes as she gazed at him drowsily./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki smiled and walked the few steps up to her, took her hands tenderly in his as he knelt down in front of her and said, "I am just going to read for a bit. You need to get your rest. Tomorrow is an exciting day."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace smiled and said in response, "Alright. I was just curious."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki smiled and kissed her sweetly on the lips and whispered, "I will be seated right on the couch, my love." He then stood up and walked over to the books and picked one up and once he was seated down on the couch he began to read it silently to himself./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace then stood up and walked over to Loki and sat beside him on the coach. She then curled up on the couch and rested her head on his shoulder as she closed her eyes and asked, "Do you mind reading to me?" Loki grinned and put his arm around her shoulder as she snuggled in closer to him. Loki kissed her on the forehead and began to read the book in his hands softly to the woman he loved./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"The next morning, Loki awoke on the couch with the book lying open on the floor and Grace's head was resting on his lap. She was still sleeping soundly so he gently began to stroke her soft hair. Today was going to be a good day. They were going to be married today./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki was wearing a pair of black pants and the light was coming in from the window and shining down on the scars on his bare chest. As he looked down at Grace he thought over his plan for when she left to return to Midguard. He could not handle life without her by his side so he was going to beg to return with her./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"At that moment, Grace opened her eyes and looked up at him and smiled drowsily. "Good morning, Loki. Did you sit there awake all night?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki smiled back at her and replied, "No, I was not awake all night. I fell asleep while I was reading." He smiled down at her and asked tenderly, "How did you sleep?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace stretched slightly and sat up as she responded by saying, "Very well. How about you?" Her legs were curled up on the coach as she sat beside him and waited for him to answer./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki took a breath and answered, "I am glad to hear that you slept well, because I did not. My neck is incredibly sore." He rubbed his neck with his hand as he winced slightly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""May I?" Grace asked as she raised her slender hand./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki grinned and let Grace place her hand on the back of his neck. He felt the effects of her touch instantly although the healing took a few seconds. As soon as her hand touched his neck, he felt a shock run through his entire frame. As soon as his neck was healed and Grace retracted her hand from his neck and he put his hand tenderly on the back of her head and pulled her into a gentle kiss which she returned gratefully./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"After their lips parted, Loki whispered to her as their lips remained close, "I am going to miss you, Grace." A tear ran down the left side of his face then and Grace wiped it away with her thumb./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace whispered back as her lips drew closer to his, "I am not leaving until tomorrow, Loki. Let us not think of it until the time comes." She then kissed him ardently on the lips and he responded in kind./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"After a few moments, someone knocked on the door. Loki stood up and put on a gray shirt and walked over to the door and opened it. On the other side of the door stood Sif. She was dressed in a long dark blue dress and her long black hair was up fashionably with a few flowers strewn about in it. "Good morning, Loki. I have come to fetch Grace."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""What for?" Loki asked confused./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Sif laughed lightly and responded, "For preparations for the wedding, Loki. What else for?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""You are helping with the wedding?" Loki inquired, stunned./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Of course I am. We all are." Sif answered./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Who is 'we'?" Loki asked confused./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""All of Asgard! You are our prince whether you act like it or not. We are happy for you, Loki." Sif responded with a bright smile on her face. "Now, please, let me get Grace prepared."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace came to the door then and smiled at Sif and said, "Good morning, Sif. How are you this morning?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Good morning to you as well, Grace. I am well, thank you for asking." Sif answered with a warm smile on her face. "Are you ready to go?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Just a moment, please." Grace then went back into the room and grabbed a blanket off of the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders. She then walked back to the door and said, "Alright, I am ready to go now."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Sif looked at her strangely and asked, "Are you cold, Grace?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""No I am not. Why?" Grace asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Because you grabbed a blanket." Loki answered as he looked into her blue eyes with a hint of worry in his eyes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace smiled and put her hand on the side of his face tenderly and replied, "I only grabbed a blanket because I do not want to walk around the castle wearing only a night dress." She then kissed him sweetly on the lips and left with Sif to go get prepared for the wedding./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"While she was walking along side Grace, Sif said, "We have a surprise for you, Grace. I believe you will appreciate this." Then they rounded the corner and a familiar voice called her name. Grace looked in the direction that the voice came from and smiled brightly when she saw Beth running up to her with her arms outstretched. Forgetting about the blanket that was draped around her, Grace rushed forward and embraced Beth warmly as she kissed her forehead./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Sif watched as Grace and this young girl embraced each other with a warm smile on her face. They embraced for a few moments then Grace pulled away and said as she looked into the child's deep green eyes, "I am so glad to see you. How have you been?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""I have been good. Jane took real good care of me." Beth answered with a smile on her face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""That is really good to hear!" Grace answered./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Where is Loki? I drew another picture for him." Beth asked as she looked around the room./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Sif stepped forward and replied to Beth saying, "Loki is not here. He is preparing for his wedding. We were hoping that you would help in the ceremony."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Beth looked up at her and asked, "Is he marring someone?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Beth," Grace began. Beth looked into her eyes with a worried expression in her dark green eyes. "How would you feel if Loki became your new dad?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Beth's green eyes opened wide with excitement as she heard the question that was posed to her. She wrapped her arms around Grace and shouted, "I would love that!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Meanwhile, Thor was walking towards Loki's chambers to check on how he was doing. Once he reached the door, he knocked and heard no response. He knocked a second time and this time he knocked harder. Once again there was no response. Panic began to stir up in the pit of his stomach the longer he waited for a response that never came. Thor waited for about a total of five minute with no answer, so he just opened the door and came barging into the room. He desperately searched for Loki and could not find him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Flustered, he turned to leave the room and saw his brother sitting on the floor leaning against the wall with a terrified expression on his face. "What is wrong, Loki?" Thor asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Am I making the wrong decision? Am I about to ruin Grace's life?" Loki asked without even looking up at his brother./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""How would you be ruining her life?" Thor asked as he squatted down in front of Loki./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Because, after tonight, I may never see her again. If I marry her, I will be stopping her from meeting and falling in love with anyone else. Am I being selfish?" Loki asked as he looked up at his brother./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Listen to me brother. No one, and I mean no one, deserves to have Grace's affection more than you do. She has made you into a kind loving man who would make an amazing king." He paused a moment and looked into Loki's eyes and continued, "Loki, if you do not show up for this wedding you will be ruining Grace's life. She loves you more than a bird loves the sky. Hiamdall informed me that she offered her life in place of yours at the prison."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Really?" Loki asked. He took a deep breath stood up and said to his brother, "If you will excuse me. I have to prepare for my wedding."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Thor smiled as he stood up and lovingly slapped his brother on the back. He then left the room as his brother began to put his battle armor on./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Meanwhile, Grace was seated in front of a mirror as she was getting her hair washed and styled. Beth was sitting at her side as they discussed what had happened over that past few days that they have been apart. Beth especially enjoyed listening to Grace tell of Loki's proposal to her. In fact she had her retell that story a few times./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace's hairdresser had deep blue eyes and long brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. Her rose colored lips parted in a smile as she listened to them conversing with each other. She could not do much with Grace's hair because it was so short, but she did pull most of it on the back of her head into a small elegant bun leaving a little strand behind both of her ears and curled them. After she fastened the bun, she took a diamond stud and put it in her hair to the right of the bun to help hold it in place. "All finished with your hair. What do you think?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace looked in the mirror and gasped. "It is beautiful! I love it! You are a genius!"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Her hairdresser blushed and said, "Thank you, my lady."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace looked back at her and asked with a loving smile on her face, "What is your name?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""My name is Nadea, my lady." She answered with a downcast gaze./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Why are you calling me that, Nadea? I am not a 'lady'. Not by any means." Grace protested gently./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""You will have to get use to people calling you that, my lady. You are going to marry Prince Loki. You are going to be a princess." Nadea answered with her eyes still downcast./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"The moment the phrase 'you are going to be a princess' came out of her mouth, Grace froze. She had never thought that she would be a princess; she thought that after they got married and they would just be Mr. and Mrs. Laufeyson. Not Prince and Princess Laufeyson./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""My Lady?" Nadea asked when she noticed that Grace was quiet for some time./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace was snapped back to reality by the sound of Nadea calling for her. "Oh, I am sorry. I just never thought of myself as a princess." She smiled and looked into the mirror and examined her refection. She had a trace amount of makeup on; it was mainly mascara on her eyelashes and some eyeliner outlining her eyes with extremely thin black eyeliner around her eyes. She also had a slight amount of blush and lipstick on. She almost did not recognize herself as she gazed at the reflection in the mirror./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Later, in the grand hall, everyone was waiting excitedly for the wedding and chattering about how beautiful the bride must be. For she must be something truly extraordinary to capture their princes heart. All they knew of Loki was that he is a disobedient trickster. They never thought he would ever settle down with anyone./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"The hall was completely decorated for the coming marriage ceremony. There were chairs set up all along the long walk way that lead to the throne and there was a red carpet laid out for the bride as she walked down the hall towards the groom. There was a white satin sheet drawn over the golden throne and a large bouquet of wild flowers directly in front of it in a golden vase. The crowded hall grew louder and louder with excited chatter as the time grew nearer./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Suddenly, the chatter stopped and everyone sat down when the All Father entered the room and stood in front of the throne. He was resplendent in his battle armor and golden helmet and his white beard was freshly cut along with his once bushy eyebrows as he eyed the crowd with his single blue eye. Loki stood at his side as he nervously fidgeted with his long green cape. He was dressed in his battle armor as well. His golden breast plate was freshly polished and his resplendent golden helmet with the curved horns rested on his head. All eyes were on him as they awaited the coming of the bride./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"After a few minutes, the wedding procession began and Jane who stood beside Thor walked down the aisle as the maid of honor and the best man as the musicians strummed their instruments softly. Jane wore a long gorgeous black dress and her long brown hair was up in a fashionable bun. Thor was wearing a freshly polished silver breast plate and his long red cape with his silver winged helmet on his head. They both had a wonderful smile painted on their face as they strode down the aisle arm in arm slowly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Once they separated and stood on either side of the throne, little Beth walked down the aisle with a small basket of flower petals in her hands and as she walked a few paces she dropped a few pink rose petals on the bright red carpet. Once she reached the end of the hall, she ran up the few steps that lead to Loki and embraced his legs tightly. The audience sighed as they watched him kneel down and hug her back. Beth then released Loki and ran back down the steps and stood in front of Jane with a bright smile on her face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Now, the moment that they have all been waiting for had arrived. They all stood and looked back towards the entrance to the hall when the musicians began to play a more romantic tune. Loki stopped fidgeting the moment he saw Grace step into view. She was wearing a long white gown that was made out of satin and fine lace that had an extremely long train. She held a bouquet of pink roses in her pale hands as she made her way even slower down the aisle. There was a thin white veil over her face as a radiant smile rested underneath it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace elegantly glided down the aisle towards Loki and her gaze was locked on him as he wept for joy with a warm smile resting on his face. All of the guests to the wedding gaped at her loveliness as she walked past them. She seemed to be walking in slow motion as she approached the throne with white slippers on her feet that had golden strips on it that seemed to glimmered with every step that she took./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace then ascended the three stairs that led up to the throne and gently took Loki's outstretched hands into hers. Once she stood in front of him and he lifted her veil, it seemed as if every single person in the room gasped when they saw her face. Her beautiful bright blue eyes were outlined perfectly with thin black eyeliner and her long eyelashes were now visible with the assistance of some mascara. Her high cheek bones were embellished with both dark and light blush on her cheeks and she had pale pink lipstick on her full lips./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"As Loki gazed adoringly into her blue eyes, Grace blushed and looked down at the ground as a warm smile rested on her face. His loving green eyes rested on her pale face as his father preformed the marriage ceremony. Neither of them could hear what was being said as they stood a foot away from each other. Loki held her hands tightly in his and caressed them tenderly with his thumbs. Grace smiled up at him as she squeezed his hands lovingly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Then, everyone in the room gasped in a mixture of shock and anxiety as Loki slowly phased into his Jotun form. Grace, however, did not flinch as his green eyes turned red and his white skin turned blue. She just smiled and clasped his hands all the tighter. Loki smiled down at her and mouthed the words, 'I love you'. Grace responded by looking down at the floor once more and blushed./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Then the All Fathers voice could then be heard by them saying, "Do you, Loki Laufyson, take this woman to be your wife?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki smiled and answered softly, "I do."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace's heart fluttered when she heard him say those words. Then the king asked her the same question and she answered by saying, "I do. I will never love anyone else the same way in all my life."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"They then exchanged rings and Odin said, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki smiled and leaned forward and placed his hand gently behind her head to pull her closer and kissed her on the lips. Grace placed her left hand around his neck lovingly and her right hand over his heart as she kissed him back. He put his other hand softly behind her back as he pulled her closer to him and kissed her more passionately and she responded in kind./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Everyone either thought it was strange or really sweet the Loki had phased into Jotun form at this point during the matrimony. They watched as he shared a loving kiss with his new bride as he remained in his true form. Was his lips not cold and hard when he was in that form? And she kissed him anyway./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"After the kiss ended, they turned to the audience and the All Father announced, "I now present Prince and Princess Laufyson!" Loki then phased back to his Asgardian form with his cheerful green eyes glancing over at Grace who held his hand tightly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Everyone started to clap and cheer as they all stood from their seats. Grace looked over at Beth and saw that there was a bright smile on her face as she watched the two of them together./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki then descended the stairs first and turned to Grace and took both of her hands in his as she slowly and cautiously descended the stairs to the sound of uproarious applause. They walked side by side down the aisle as the audience applauded them cheerfully./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Later, at the reception, Loki was wearing his battle armor still while his helmet was back in his room. He was holding the hand of his new bride as she wore a dark red dress with a low back and a radiant smile on her face. Grace watched as their guests danced to the music that was playing softly and pretended not to notice that Loki was gazing at her. But every now and again, she would glance over at him then look down at the ground shyly with a coy smile on her face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki then stood from his seat at the head of the table and took two steps over to her side and extended his pale white hand to her and asked, "May I have this dance?" Grace smiled brightly up at him and took his outstretched hand gratefully. They walked onto the dance floor hand in hand and everyone parted and watched them as they walked to the center of the room and wrapped their arms around each other warmly. All eyes were on them as they began to gently sway to the slow romantic music that was being played by the Asgardian musicians./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Time seemed to move in slow motion as Loki and Grace held each other tightly in their arms. The king then walked up to them and asked, "May I dance with the bride for a moment?" Loki grinned slightly and backed away. He watched closely as his father wrapped his arms around Grace and began to dance with her./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"After a few minutes, Grace said shyly as her blue eyes gazed down at the ground "Thank you for allowing us to have at least one night together, my king."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Odin smiled and answered by saying, "It is I who should be thanking you." Grace looked up at him in shock then. He continued speaking. "Because of you, Loki has completely changed. He is no longer defiant, but rather generous."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace blushed and responded, "I did not do much. All I did was help him realize that he is not what he believed for so long."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""What is that?" Odin asked softly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace looked up into his softening blue eye and replied, "A monster."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Odin thought about it for a moment when Grace interjected into his thoughts by asking, "May I ask for a small favor, my king?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Odin smiled and responded to her by saying, "Of course you may. What is it that you need?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Could you please allow Loki to visit me and Beth every now and again?" Grace asked in a hushed tone of voice./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Odin replied to her in the same tone of voice, "I will think about that."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"They danced together for a few more moments when Odin said to her, "You may go sit back down next to Loki now."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace bowed to him and replied, "Thank you, my king."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"As Odin watched her walk back to Loki, the question that she asked him sank in. She was asking him to go against everything he had taught his sons. He taught them to be true to their word. But then again, he did say she had to go back to Midgard tomorrow but Loki could not go with her. But, he did not say that his son could not visit her after she went back. Odin stroked his beard as he watched the two newlyweds together. He would have to consider her question further./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace watched as the feast seemed to drag on and on forever. She looked over at Loki and whispered in his ear, "How long do we have to stay here?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki looked over at her and whispered back with a worried look in his green eyes, "Is everything alright, Grace?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Yes, it is just," Grace paused for a moment and glanced over at Beth who was sitting with Nadea, Jane, and a few other women. She then looked back at Loki and finished her statement, "I am worried we will not have much time. Time for just you and I, before I have to leave."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki smiled and answered her by saying, "We can leave in a few minutes, Grace." He then pulled her into a loving kiss which she returned./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Suddenly, people started cheering and they did not even notice. Grace and Loki were so immersed in their shared affection that they did not realize that everyone was toasting to their happiness and cheering for them. When they did notice, Loki stood up and held his hands up for them to be silent./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"When they all stopped cheering, Loki parted his lips and words like soothing music issued forth. He said, "Before Grace and I retire, I would just like to thank you all for coming and sharing in the happiest day of my life." He looked back at Grace and took her hand and kissed it tenderly, "My dear, Grace. I wish I could go with you back to Midgard tomorrow. But alas, I cannot. But, you can be sure that every moment we are apart, I will spend thinking of you. I will never find anyone else like you in all the nine realms. Nor do I want to find anyone else. I love you more then you will ever know. You and no other."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"As Loki was speaking, Grace was beginning to weep. She never imagined that the day would come when she would get married. Now that she did, she was overjoyed that it was to someone as kindhearted as Loki. Once Loki finished speaking, she stood up and practically rushed into his arms and kissed him violently on the lips. Loki smiled and kissed her back as he wrapped his arms around her and picked her up in his arms as the audience cheered them on once again./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Once her head was resting on his chest, Loki turned to their guests and said, "Once again, thank you for coming and have a good night. Grace and I are going to retire to our chamber for the night."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Everyone said their good nights and congratulations and the newlyweds left the room. Loki carried Grace in his arms the entire way back to his chamber. It was a long walk but neither of them noticed the time that it took. They were too busy focused on the others presence and that this would be their first and final night together as a wedded couple./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Once they reached his chamber, Loki said to her, "Hold tightly around my neck. I have to let go for just a moment so I can open the door./spanspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-ascii-font-family: 'New times new roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: 'New times new roman';""/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace did as he asked her and when the door opened, they were both intently stuck by the scent of fresh cut roses. There were hundreds upon hundreds of bouquets of freshly cut red roses in his chamber. Loki carried her into his chamber then and closed the door behind him with his magic./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Hey, Loki?" Grace whispered as he just stood by the closed door with her held in his arms as he enjoyed the feel of holding her tightly to his chest. He may not get another chance to./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Yes, my love?" Loki whispered back./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Why did you not open the door with your magic?" She asked as she looked up at his face./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki looked down at her and smiled, "I was too distracted by your beauty." He whispered lovingly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace giggled as Loki carried her over to his bed. He set her down gently at the edge of the bed and knelt down in front of her and looked up into her bright blue eyes adoringly. She looked down into his loving green eyes affectionately as she ran her hand through his growing black hair. Grace then pulled him into a tight embrace and Loki rested his head on her chest as she kissed his forehead./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"They stayed like this for a few moments and Grace lifted his head and kissed him on the lips sweetly. Loki responded by slowly standing up and as Grace leaned back he followed her and rested on her chest lightly as they continued to kiss each other. They held each other's hands and their fingers were intertwined as they rested at their sides./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Wait a minute, Loki." Grace whispered as he kissed her neck./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki pulled away slightly and asked, "What is wrong?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""I am still in this fancy dress. Should I change first?" Grace asked./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""If you wish to. It would have come off anyway." Loki smiled as he got off her and offered to help her to her feet./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace took his hands and said, "Allow me to just slip into something more comfortable. I will be right back."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace then walked around the corner and got changed as Loki took his breastplate off and he sat on the bed as he waited for her. He was looking down at his hands and when a pale delicate hand was placed in his, he looked up and smiled. Grace had returned and she was now wearing a short white night dress that was just a little above her knees./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""Do I look alright?" Grace asked shyly./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';""You look lovely." Loki answered as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Grace then sat down on his lap as she placed her hand warmly on the side of his face and kissed him tenderly on the lips. Loki placed one of his hands on her back to pull her in closer and the other on her thigh and he slowly moved it up her leg. They shared their affections with each other for a few moments and Loki slowly leaned back onto his bed. Grace rested on top of him gently and continued to kiss him lovingly on the lips./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"Loki grinned warmly as he allowed her to take his black shirt, that was under his breastplate, off and she let him take her night dress off. As he pulled her close to him and kissed her neck, Grace smiled and rested her hands on his chest warmly and felt the scars and she lovingly caressed them with her soft hands./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 40.5pt; line-height: 150%;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; font-family: 'New times new roman','serif';"span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"In response to this, Loki rolled on top of her and kissed her all the more passionately as his arms remained wrapped tightly around her. Grace now felt his whole form against her frame and she smiled as he kissed her neck once again and she wrapped her legs around his strong waist and they began to make passionate love to each other for the first time./span/span/p 


	13. In Her Eyes

The next morning, Grace and Loki were sleeping together as their arms remained wrapped around each other tightly. Grace awoke first and noticed that her husband was still asleep so she smiled and cuddled up closer to him. Her bare skin was against his as she lay on his bare chest under the covers waiting for him to wake.

After a few minutes, Grace began to grow tired of waiting for him to awaken so she kissed the scars on his chest and traveled up to his neck as she continued to kiss him. Loki chuckled as his eyes remained closed and asked, "What are you doing?"

"I believe I am kissing your scars." Grace replied sweetly as she placed her hands on his chest over his strong heart.

Loki responded by smiling and wrapping his arms tighter around her bare back and whispered, "That was an incredible way to wake, Grace. Thank you." Loki then looked down at her and said, "Now, it is my turn."

Grace smiled and rolled over onto her back as she let him kiss her chest and her neck. She wrapped her arms around Loki's neck as he kissed her stomach and traveled up to her neck and then kissed her on the lips romantically. As she kissed him back, he wrapped his arms around her back and picked her up in his arms slightly.

The sun was just beginning to rise and Loki noticed this so he asked Grace, "Would you like to go watch the sunrise with me?"

Grace smiled and answered, "I would love to."

A few minutes later, Loki and Grace were sitting on the roof with a green satin blanket wrapped around them both as they sat enfolded in each other's arms watching the sunrise together. It was truly the most remarkable thing that Grace had seen. It was all the more incredible because of who she was watching it with.

Grace was leaning against Loki's chest as they gazed at the changing colors in the sky while they both wondered what the day will bring. They knew that she had to leave and that he could not go with her, but neither of them knew what would happen next.

Loki whispered in her ear, "I will miss you, Grace."

Grace smiled weakly and responded, "I will miss you more."

Loki then kissed her passionately on the lips and as Grace returned that kiss she noticed that there was something different in his kiss. She pulled away slightly and asked as she fingered his lips caringly, "What is wrong?"

"You are going to be leaving in a few hours." Loki answered with a note of distress in his voice.

Grace grinned sadly and responded by saying, "Then, let us make the last few hours that we are together memorable ones."

Loki grinned back at her and asked, "What would you like to do?"

Grace looked deep into his eyes and replied by saying, "For starters, do you mind going back inside? It is a bit cold out here."

Loki chuckled and pulled Grace into a tight embrace as he picked her up and walked back through the open window that they had climbed out of. Once they were back in his chamber, he set her down on her feet. Over taken by the moment, Loki kissed her shoulder and Grace closed her eyes as she stood stationary and savored the feel his lips on her skin once again.

Loki whispered to her as his lips were about an inch away from hers, "I am so in love with you, Grace. I would do anything for you." Grace then kissed him lovingly on the lips and wrapped her arms around his neck. As they kissed each other once again Loki picked her up in his arms and carried her over to the bed and set her down.

Loki then climbed up on the bed and kissed her once more with his cold blue lips. Grace wrapped her arms around his blue neck and leaned back onto the bed as she kissed him back.

Meanwhile, Thor had just woken up on his bed with red and silver satin sheets. He looked up at the ceiling and wondered how his brother's first night with his bride was. A smile grew on his face when he remembered how Grace had looked at him last night. There was so much love and adoration in her eyes as she gazed his brother. Loki deserved someone who loved him like that.

Thor stood and walked over to the window and threw the shades back and the soft glow of the newly risen sun flooded the room. He stood in the full light of the sun for a few moments as his mind went to Jane. He closed his eyes and wondered if his father would allow him to marry her now that Loki was married to a human.

Thor then put a large blue shirt on as thoughts of Jane filled his mind. She would have to return today as well. He left his room and walked to Loki's chamber to check on him and Grace as Jane had requested him to do. Once he reached the door, he lifted his hand to knock and froze when he heard a faint noise inside. He lowered his hand and listened closer. A smile spread across his face when he heard a soft moan coming from inside the room. Thor shook his head slightly and strode away as a content smile rested on his face.

Thor approached the chambers that Jane and Beth were staying in together and knocked on the door lightly. Jane answered the door a few minutes later and she smiled when she saw who was at the door. She was wearing a blue night dress with a black bathrobe around her shoulders. "What can I help you with, Thor?" She asked as she leaned against the open door.

"I am just wondering if you would like to take a walk with me around the garden." Thor responded with a smile on his face as his soft blue eyes gazed at Jane.

Jane smiled and responded by saying, "I would love to, Thor. But I have to watch Beth. She is still sleeping."

Thor nodded his head and asked, "May I come in then?"

Jane smiled as she ushered him into the room as she asked, "Did you check on Grace and Loki this morning as you said you would?"

"I stood outside the door. But I did not want to disturb them by knocking." Thor answered.

"Why not?" Jane asked.

Thor looked at the young child who was asleep on the bed and responded to Jane by saying with a smile on his face, "They were having an intimate moment together, Jane. I could faintly hear them inside."

Jane looked at him in shock. "Really, Thor? You would say something like that while there is a child in the room!"

"She is asleep though." Thor protested.

"True. But what if she woke up and heard you and asked what that meant?" Jane argued quietly.

Thor shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I would have explained it the best I could."

"Alright." Jane responded as she wrapped him in a tight embrace. "I am just glad to see you."

An hour or so later, back in Loki's chambers, Loki and Grace lay in each other's arms as they were underneath the covers once again. Their eyes were closed as they just laid there and enjoyed the feel of the other person's arms around them. Grace opened her eyes and looked up at Loki and lovingly stroked his face as he was in his Jotun form. Loki smiled and opened his red eyes and gazed affectionately down at her. "Can we just lay here forever?" Grace asked in a whisper.

"I wish we could, Grace." Loki answered as he kissed her forehead and pulled her closer to him.

They laid there in silence for a few more minutes when suddenly there came a loud heavy knock at the door. Loki began to stand to open the door but Grace grabbed his arms and protested him leaving her side. In response, he leaned over her and kissed her tenderly on the lips. He then whispered to her sweetly, "I am just going to go see who it is."

Loki grabbed a black dressing gown and, after he put it on and tied it around his waist, he walked up to the door and opened it. Once the door was open he saw that it was Jane who was standing there waiting. When she saw him, she winced slightly and said, "Loki you have to tell people when you are in Jotun form so they can prepare themselves."

"Sorry. What can I help you with?" Loki responded. As he spoke, he slowly phased back to his Asgardian form and his green eyes watched Jane suspiciously.

"I just want to check on Grace. How is she doing?" Jane replied.

"She is fine." Loki answered point blankly.

"May I speak with her?" Jane requested.

"Umm…" Loki thought for a moment as he looked back into his chamber. Grace appeared to be resting so he turned back to Jane and replied, "She is sleeping. I do not want to wake her."

Jane nodded her head and responded, "That is understandable. I will see her later. Good bye, Loki." She then turned and walked away and headed towards the room that she was staying in with Beth.

After Jane was out of sight, Loki turned back into his room and saw Grace sitting up on the bed with the green sheets held over her bare chest. She smiled at him and asked, "Who was at the door?'

"Jane. She just wanted to check on how we were managing." He answered softly as he sat down on the bed and ran his hand lovingly down the side of her face. Grace smiled and took his hand gently in hers and kissed it tenderly. "I cannot believe you have to leave already." Loki whispered as he watched her stroke his hand softly with her fragile fingers. "It seems like you just got here yesterday."

"I agree. At least we had the time that we did together." Grace replied as she ran her hand through his black hair. She gazed into his green eyes affectionately as Loki committed her face to memory. He wanted to remember precisely how she looked the morning after their marriage. She looked so beautiful right at this moment as she surrendered everything to him.

Grace watched Loki as he studied her face. She then pulled him into a tight embrace and rested her head on his chest. They both closed their eyes and held each other tightly for a few moments. "Loki, can I tell you something?" Grace asked pleasantly.

Loki smiled and responded, "Of course you can, Grace. You do not have to ask."

"The night before I found you, I prayed that I would find someone who understood what it is like to be abandoned. I also prayed for someone who would love me. When I saw you the next day and I could hardly believe that part of my prayer had been answered already. Then, when you told me you loved me, I could hardly breathe. You are the answer to my prayers, Loki. You are my angel." Grace said with a heavenly voice.

Loki pulled her in closer to him and replied, "I can assure you, I am no angel. But I am glad that I could help you. Rather, you are my angel."

Grace felt him trembling slightly in her arms so she whispered in his ear, "What is wrong, Loki?"

Loki grinned slightly and responded by saying softly, "I am going to miss you far more then you know." Upon hearing this, Grace pulled away slightly and put her hands behind his head as she pulled him into a loving gentle kiss. Loki responded by kissing her back passionately as he placed his hands on her bare back.

After a few minutes, Loki pulled away and said, "I would like to see just how wrong your mother was."

Grace looked up into his green eyes with a confused expression on her face. "What do you mean?"

Loki smiled and stood up and pulled a CD player out of the closet and showed it to Grace while he revised his statement. "I would like to hear the song that your mother quoted to you when your parents left you." He placed his pale hand on top of the player and smiled as he added, "As soon as I figure out how to work this thing."

Grace giggled and stood up and pulled one of Loki's large green shirts on and walked over to him. The shirt was about mid-thigh length as she strode over to the CD player and turned it on by pressing the button that said 'power' and then pressed she 'play'. As the music began to play, Loki looked at her in amazement and asked, "How did you do that?"

"I just turned it on." Grace answered as she tried to hide another giggle.

Loki responded by wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a tight embrace. He then began to sway gently to the music that was playing. Grace swayed with him and she cried on his shoulder as the song 'Learn to Be Lonely' filled the room.

Loki took her gentle white hands in his cold blue hands and continued to dance with her as Grace still wept in his arms. After a few minutes, he stopped swaying then and put a cold hand under her chin and lifted her gaze to meet his. Once Grace was looking into his loving eyes, he said, "This song is truly beautiful. But if your mother was trying to tell you something by quoting it, it is not at all true. You are never alone. In fact, you are one of the most loved people in New York."

"You think so?" Grace asked as her once sweet calm voice began to break.

"I know so. You care for people and bring them into your home and heart without even expecting anything in return. They all love you dearly, even though they do not wish to admit it. You also turned a monster who once thought he was incapable of love into the man you see before you now. You are the most important person that could have ever lived." Loki responded softly. As he spoke, his cold blue hand was gently placed on her back to pull her in closer to him.

Grace did not fight him. She wanted to remain in his arms as long as possible. She knew that she may never see Loki again. That thought caused her to cry even harder. "How can life be this cruel, Loki? When we first met, we spent a little over a year together. Then you were taken away from me. When you returned, you could only stay for a few hours. Now I am at your side again and we still cannot stay with each other. Why?" She looked up at him as tears stained her delicate face.

Loki kissed her forehead and responded, "I am not sure, Grace. It does not seem fair that we are pulled apart so often. But, I do know this," He paused for a moment and looked deeply into her sorrowful blue eyes. "We will be together, either in this life or the next."

Grace buried her head in his chest and said, "Screw the next life. I want to be with you in this one."

Loki smiled faintly and kissed her forehead once again as he pulled her even closer to him. They stood there as the song continued to play once again. Grace then stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on his cold lips as she wrapped her arms around his blue neck. As they shared a loving kiss with each other, Loki moved his right hand up to rest behind her head while the other remained on her back as he leaned forward. Grace smiled and leaned back in his tight embrace as they shared their love with one another.

Suddenly, someone knocked at the door and Loki pulled out of the kiss but still held his arms around Grace tightly as he remained stationary. After a few moments someone called in, "It is time for Grace to leave."

In response, Loki shouted, "Go away!" There was so much anger in his hardened voice that Grace jumped slightly in his arms. What happened? One moment, they were wrapped in a tight loving embrace, the next; he was spewing venom at someone who was on the other side of his door.

Grace looked up into his hard red eyes and whispered, "I should go. Best not to prolong the pain, Loki."

Loki looked down into her eyes and asked, "How would you staying for a moment longer prolong the pain? I thought you wanted to stay with me?" His hard red eyes turned sorrowful as they searched hers for an answer.

Grace pulled her arms tighter around him and whispered, "I do want to stay with you. More than anything. But I fear that anymore time we spend together will be tainted by the knowledge that I should have left by now."

A cold tear ran down the left side of Loki's face as he listened to her speak when he realized that she was right. He pulled away slightly and put his cold blue hand under Grace's chin and lifted her face to his as he kissed her on the lips. Grace kissed him back as tears ran down both of their faces. When her soft warm lips touched his hard cold lips, a shock ran through her entire body.

Loki then placed his hand behind her head as he pulled her into an even deeper more passionate kiss. Grace placed her hands on his chest and rested them there as she kissed him back. They were completely lost in their shared affections and were not aware of the time passing.

Then, someone knocked more heavily on the door this time and shouted in, "Loki! If Grace is not out here in two minutes, we are coming in to get her whether she is dressed or not!" It was Odin. He was standing impatiently outside of his son's chamber while Grace quickly got dressed.

Loki opened the door then and walked out and glared at his father. He was still in his Jotun form as he was dressed in his black dressing gown with his scared chest exposed slightly. "She is getting dressed as quickly as she can. Rushing her is not going to help." He said coldly to his father.

Odin was wearing a gold and silver breast plate and a silver eye patch over his right eye. He glared back at his son and asked disrespectfully, "How was your night with the mortal?"

"Far better than any other I have ever had." Loki responded disdainfully. "Thank you for asking."

They stood there and glared at each other for a few moments. Grace then glided up behind Loki and put her dainty hand on his cold blue arm and when he looked down at her he saw that she was wearing a long black skirt and a white shirt. She held the green shirt of his that she wore earlier in her grasp as she handed it back to him with a sorrowful smile on her face. "You can keep it, Grace." Loki said to her as he pulled her close to him and kissed her hand tenderly.

Grace smiled and asked him, "Are you going to accompany me to the Bifrost?"

Loki smiled weakly back at her and kissed her cheek as he answered, "I would love to. Allow me a moment to get dresses." He then retreated into his chamber for a few moments and when he came back out, he was wearing his gold breast plate with black leather pants and a green cape that flowed behind him as he strode forward with his leather boots. He saw that Grace smiled at him when he came into view and it gave him strength to carry on. What was he going to do without her?

Loki and Grace held hands with their fingers intertwined as they walked behind Odin towards the Bifrost with a guard following behind them. They strode in silence as they passed halls and other chambers as a feeling of dread rose in the pit of Grace's stomach. How was she going to make it through the day without him by her side? She hugged up to him as they walked out of the castle and Loki put his arm around her protectively. When he put his hand around her back, he noticed that she was shivering so he took his cape off and draped it around her shoulders. Grace smiled up at him as she pulled the cape tighter around her shoulders.

Hundreds of onlookers began to follow them as they watched the proceedings sorrowfully. They knew not what was wrong, but they did know that this was the couple who were married yesterday. They also knew that something was troubling the couple. Could it be that she was not an Asgardian after all had to go back to her realm and he could go with her? Or could it be something else entirely?

Once they arrived at the Bifrost, Heimdall looked at both Loki and Grace together and smiled. He said, "It is nice to finally meet you face to face, Grace. I just wish it was under better circumstances." His gold eyes were set on how tightly Loki was holding her to him as Odin told Heimdall that she was to be sent back to Midgard.

Heimdall opened the bridge and turned to Grace who was watching in wonder. He said to her in his deep kindly voice, "You have nothing to be afraid of. You just have to stand in front of it and you will return to Midgard."

Grace looked up at Heimdall and then looked over at Odin and asked with tears already streaming down her face, "May I have a moment with Loki before I go?"

Both of the men agreed and Grace turned to Loki and stood on her tiptoes and kissed him sweetly on the lips then whispered to him, "As long as I am alive, you, and no other, will have ownership of my heart. I will never love anyone else the same way."

In response, Loki pulled her into a passionate kiss and a tear ran down the left side of his face. She returned the kiss and felt him put his hand behind her head. Tears flowed freely down both of their faces as they held each other close.

As Odin watched them he was almost moved to let Loki go with her. Almost. He walked up to Loki and put his hand firmly on his shoulder and said, "It is time."

Grace let go of Loki and handed his cape back and before he could protest, she was gone back to Midgard. When Loki saw her face disappear in front of him, he felt a part of him die inside. For she had taken his heart with her.

When Grace was back on Earth she came close to crying. The love of her life was no longer before her. Instead, she was right in front of her house so she opened the door and entered her house and smiled when she heard a voice call her name. Running up to her with arms spread open wide was Beth. There was a bright smile on her face as she embraced Beth in her arms and picked her up and held her close to her.


	14. You Raise Me Up

Four months later, Grace was cooking breakfast for Beth in the kitchen. She was wearing a long black skirt and Loki's green shirt as she stood in front of the stove making pancakes. She had gained a bit of weight since she left Asgard and she was eating better as well. Thoughts of Loki filled her mind every day. She wondered how he was. She wondered what he was doing. But most of all, she wondered if he missed her as much as she missed him.

There came a knock at the door and Grace called out, "It is open. Come on in."

Tentative footsteps came into the room then and when Grace looked up to see who it was she gasped. Standing there wearing a green jacket and dirty blonde hair with a timid look on her face was her mother. A bright loving smile spread across Grace's face when she saw her mother enter the room. "You are looking well." She said to her daughter.

"I am, mom. I am glad to see you here. Are you hungry? I can make you a pancake." Grace offered.

Her mother stepped closer into the room and waved her hand as she said, "No. I am not hungry, but thank you." Her deep hazel eyes were downcast as she sat down at the table.

Grace looked at her and noticed that there was something troubling her mother. Abandoning her cooking, she walked the few steps up to her mother and took her hands gently in hers and asked, "Is everything alright?" Her bright blue eyes desperately search her mother's eyes for an explanation.

"Grace," her mother began with a sigh. "There is something I probably should have told you a long time ago." Grace took a deep breath and pressed her lips together as she squeezed her mother's hand reassuringly. "After I married you father, I met another man. He had wonderful green eyes and fiery red hair that flowed over his shoulders gracefully." She smiled as she described her friend and Grace could not help but smile back at her. "His name was Bragi. He was an amazing poet and could take my breath away just with his words. He also claimed to be from another world called Asgard. I fell in love with him.

"More to the point," Her mother glanced up into Grace's eyes as a concerned look grew on her face. "I had an affair with him. I knew it was wrong, but I was not sorry that I did it. For it brought you into the world." She placed her hand lovingly on the side of Grace's shocked face.

"So I am not even related to my father?" Grace asked.

"No. You are not. He has always resented you because of what I did. I am ever so glad that I did not give in to his anger. You have Bragi's gift with words and his strong heart." Her mother continued.

Grace stood up then and walked over to the pancakes that were beginning to burn. She removed them from the stove and placed the four of them on two individual plates. She then grabbed two sets of silverware and set them on top of the plates and brought them over to the table. While she was doing this, she whispered to herself, "I am half Asgardian. I wonder if that will mean anything to Odin."

"I am sorry. What did you say?" Her mother asked as she put her hand on Grace's arm.

In response, Grace looked up at her and smiled as she said, "I was just talking to myself."

Suddenly, the door swung open and someone came rushing into the house calling for Grace desperately. It was Jane and anguish was clear in her shaking voice. Grace called back to her telling her that she was in the kitchen and Jane came running into the room. When Grace saw her there were tears staining her face as she looked into her friends blue eyes.

Grace placed her hands warmly on Jane's shoulders and asked, "What is wrong?"

After she took a few deep breaths, Jane replied, "You are needed at the hospital."

"What is happening?" Grace asked urgently as panic rose in her voice.

"It is better if you just came to see." Jane answered.

Without another word, Grace was out the door running as best she could with her stiffening legs towards the hospital and Jane and her mother followed close behind. Time seemed to move in slow motion as she ran; it was almost as if she was stuck in place. Her heart was pounding in her ear and her breathing was ragged. She was exhausted, but she could not stop. What if it was Loki and he needed her help?

Once she reached the hospital, Thor stood at the door waiting for her. He had been pacing back and forth. This much was clear by the footsteps on the new carpet. When he saw Grace, he pulled her into a tight embrace and whispered in her ear, "Loki missed you."

Grace pulled out of the embrace and looked into his troubled blue eyes. "Why can Loki not tell me himself?" Her voice was riddled with concern as she searched his blue eyes for an answer.

Thor took her hands in his and said, "Come with me." He then led her back to a small bleak hospital room with one bed in it. Lying on the bed was an awfully thin man with black hair and extremely pale skin. His wrists were bound tightly with bloody bandages. Grace instantly recognized who it was that was laying on the bed. She ran to his side and dropped to her knees. Grace did not take her tearing eyes off of him when she asked, "What happened to him?

"As soon as you left, Loki locked himself in his chamber and would not come out for anything. Not even to eat. Whenever I would knock on his door, he would always shout at me to depart." Thor explained as he brought a chair over for Grace to sit on as he continued to speak. "A few minutes ago, I knocked on his door and got no response. I grew worried and entered his chamber and when I did," He paused and took a deep breath as he wiped a tear away from his left eye. "I found him lying on his bed with his wrists slashed and blood was flowing all over the sheets. By his side was the photo of you two together and a letter."

Grace looked up at him from her seat and asked, "What did the letter say."

Thor pulled a piece of paper out of the folds of his blue robe and handed it to her and said, "Read it for yourself."

Grace snatched the letter out of his hand and read it hurriedly. It read:

**I can no longer handle life without Grace by my side. Everything I see reminds me of her. Knowing that I will never see her again makes it even harder. The music in her laughter. Her loving smile. Her breathtaking eyes. Her caring heart. Her soft lips. Her never ending compassion. I will never experience any of those ever again**

**I have no regrets for what I am about to do. Anything is better than living without Grace.**

**Goodbye.**

Grace set the letter down on her lap and reached up and took Loki's cold hand as tears streamed down her face. As soon as she touched his hand, his fingers closed around her hand slightly and then reopened. Grace perked up then and looked over at Thor who was sitting by the door with his head in his hands. She said excitedly to him, "He moved!"

Thor looked up at her and answered, "What?"

Grace repeated her statement and added, "His hand moved." Her bright blue eyes were wide with excitement as Thor walked over to her and looked down at his brother. He gasped when he saw that color was beginning to return to Loki's face. He ran out the door then and called for the nurse as Grace remained by his side.

Grace took his hand once again and kissed it tenderly. Loki groaned slightly and turned to face her, but his green eyes remained closed. Grace looked at his thin lips and bit her lower lip as she considered what she was about to try next. She looked back at the door and noticed that Thor was nowhere in sight, but she could hear him calling for a nurse still.

Grace then leaned forward and kissed Loki's lips lovingly and felt a hand being placed behind her head pulling her in closer to him. She pulled away slightly and saw that he had opened his eyes and was gazing adoringly at her. She blushed and looked down at the bed for a quick moment then back up into his green eyes.

"Hel is much better than I thought it would be." Loki whispered in his soft voice that Grace had missed dearly.

His hand was resting behind her head as Grace whispered back to him, "You are not dead, Loki. Thor got to you in time. Why would you try to kill yourself?"

Loki smiled and said as he played with her now shoulder length hair, "Because it was the only way I could see you again."

Grace smiled weakly and grasped his hand in hers as she said, "That was not the only way."

Loki nodded his head slightly and replied, "Yes. It was the only way father would allow me to leave Asgard to see you. Even if it was to visit my wife."

"About that," Grace began as a warm smile grew on her face. "My mother came to see me this morning; she had some very interesting news for me."

Loki looked at her and smiled back, "What did she tell you?"

"She told me that my father is not really my father." Grace replied in a hushed tone of voice.

Loki squinted his eyes in confusion as he asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"Loki," Grace leaned forward in her chair slightly and said, "Was there anyone on Asgard by the name of 'Bragi'?"

"Yes. He is my brother's childhood tutor. What about him?" Loki answered her breathlessly.

"Does he have red hair and green eyes?" She asked again.

"Yes." Loki answered as he sat up in his hospital bed.

"It would seem that my mother had an affair with him and this resulted in my conception. So I am half Asgardian." Grace answered at she gazed into his wide green eyes.

Loki was speechless. He was desperately trying to digest the information that Grace was telling him. At that moment, Thor ran back into the room and he froze in place when he saw his brother sitting up. After a few moments, Thor ran up to him and embraced him tightly. "I was so worried about you, brother." Thor said as they remained in the embrace for a few more moments.

Loki pushed him away and looked at his brother suspiciously and asked, "You were worried about me?"

"Why is that so hard to believe?" Thor protested loudly.

Loki looked from Grace to Thor and responded, "All our lives, we have never been close."

Thor scoffed and answered, "I do not know where you have been, but I have always valued your opinion above all others."

"Really?" Loki asked.

"Of course." Thor answered with his blue eyes furrowed.

They all stood there for a few moments and watched each other. Grace looked back at Thor and asked him, "Could you please go into the waiting room and tell Jane and my mother that Loki will be alright?"

Thor bowed slightly to her and replied with a slight smile, "Of course, Grace." He then turned and left the room.

Once he was gone, Grace turned to Loki and asked, "How long will you be able to stay this time?"

"Well, seeing as the All Father thinks I am dead. I may be able to stay forever." Loki smiled at her as he put his hand warmly on the side of her face.

Grace smiled back at him and pulled away from him and said, "There is also one other piece of news for you."

"What is it?" He asked with worry growing in his voice for some reason.

"May I see your hand for a minute, please?" Grace asked as she pointed to his hand. Loki gave it to her and she put it on her stomach. He immediately understood and smiled brightly as he pulled her into a passionate kiss which she returned gratefully.

After they parted, Grace whispered while their lips were about an inch apart, "You cannot try to kill yourself anymore, Loki. It broke my heart seeing you like this."

Loki shook his head slightly and responded by saying, "I only did it because I could not handle life without you." He then looked into her blight blue eyes and added, "I would never do anything to harm you intentionally."

Grace pulled him into tight embrace and did not hear as a few sets of feet walked into the room. Someone behind them called out in a tentative shy voice, "Grace?" In response, she opened her eyes and turned around and saw her mother standing there beside Jane and Thor with a puzzled expression on her face. "Who is that man?"

Grace stood and walked over to her mother and took her hand and led her over to were Loki sat and said to her, "Mother, this is Loki. He is my husband."

Her mother's deep hazel eyes opened wide as she looked into Loki's green eyes. He smiled weakly at her and braced for the lecture which he knew would inevitably come. Instead of a lecture, she just threw her arms tightly around him and shouted at the top of her lungs, "I have a son-in-law!"

Back at the house, Grace and Loki sat side by side at the kitchen table as Jane, Patrice, and Beth ate some pancakes. Patrice was talking with Beth about her school and extra activities while Jane watched Loki as he examined Grace's face closely without touching her. How did she not notice how much he loved her friend before? It was just oozing out of him.

Loki was wearing a pair of dark jeans and a light blue shirt as he sat at Grace's side. She was no longer wearing his shirt but rather she wore a white shirt with roses on it. She had taken the wrappings off of his wrists and healed the scars as best she could before they left the hospital. As they walked home, Loki had held her hand tightly the entire way.

Grace reached for his hand and grasped it tightly underneath the table. Once his hand was in hers, Loki intertwined his fingers with hers and squeezed her hand tenderly. Grace smiled and gazed down at the floor when she felt his grip tighten around her hand. It felt like old times once again. With the exception of her mother being there with them.

Jane saw her friend gazing at the floor and turned to Patrice and said, "Why don't we go for a walk. Beth can come with us."

Patrice looked up at Jane and smiled. She then looked over at her daughter and her son-in-law and saw that they were lost in a different world while they were trying desperately not to gaze at each other. She looked back over at Jane and nodded her head. She then turned to Beth and said, "I often go for a walk after dinner. Would you like to join me?"

Beth, who was getting along splendidly with her grandmother, smiled and jumped up and ran to the door. She quickly put her black shoes on and ran outside. When the others were not following, Beth stuck her head back in the house and said, "Are you coming?"

Patrice smiled and followed Beth out the door after she glanced over at Loki and Grace. Jane lingered a bit longer and after Patrice had left the room she said, "I will inform her about some of what has occurred between you two. You will have to tell her the rest. We will leave you now. You have at least two hours alone together."

Jane then began to leave the house but stopped in her tracks when she heard Loki say, "Thank you, Jane." She turned around slowly and saw him looking up at her with a warm smile on his face.

"For what?" Jane asked curiously.

"For everything." Loki responded as he gazed at Grace who sat by his side. "For taking care of Grace and bringing her to the hospital to see me. But, more importantly," He paused and stood up. He then walked the few steps up to Jane and bowed to her slightly. "I thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to stay with Grace. Even though you knew what I had done, you still allowed me to stay with your lifelong friend."

As Grace listened to Loki speak, she found herself smiling peacefully. She was still gazing down at the floor as Loki spoke to her friend. His soft voice was like music to her ears. She missed it so much! She missed him more than anything. She could not focus on anything without him there with her. Now that he was, she was ecstatic! She felt as if there was nothing she could not do. If he asked her to, she could fly for him.

Jane smiled at him and left the room. Once they heard the front door close, Loki turned to Grace, picked her up in his arms gently, and said, "We have about two hours together before they come back. What do you say we go to your room?"

Grace smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck and responded, "I think you mean 'our' room."

Loki smiled and leaned over slightly and kissed her on the lips romantically. Grace returned the kiss as her hands traveled up to the back of his head and rested there. Overtaken by the moment, Loki held her against the wall and kissed her all the more passionately. Grace responded by wrapping her legs around his waist and kissed him back. He kissed her neck then and placed his hands against the wall as he continued to kiss her neck ardently.

Grace smiled and whispered as her eyes remained closed, "Slow down, Loki. We are not even in the bedroom yet."

"I know. I just love you so much. You cannot fathom how much I missed you." Loki responded as he continued to kiss her neck. Grace smiled brightly and her blue eyes remained shut as she enjoyed the feel of being in his arms and having his cold lips caress her skin once more.

Meanwhile, Patrice was walking hand in hand with Beth as she thought over all that Jane had told her. Grace had fallen in love with and married the man who had invaded the city all those years ago. What was more, she was pregnant with his child! At first, she was shocked to learn that the man that her daughter had married was the monster who had terrorized the city, but when she remembered the look of love on his face as he looked at Grace, she realized how wrong she had been to judge him. Grace had always been a naturally forgiving person.

Beth was chattering at a million miles an hour about anything and everything that came to mind. She was holding her grandmothers hand tightly as they walked through the park. The birds were singing sweetly in the trees when they all sat down on a park bench. Patrice thought over Grace and Loki's union as Beth continued to jabber away. She wished she could have been there for their marriage. It was probably amazing!

A few minutes later, the sun began to sink into the horizon and the sky grew darker and darker. Jane said to Patrice, "We should probably be heading back soon."

Patrice looked up at Jane in shock and asked, "Do you think we gave then enough time?"

"Enough time for what?" Beth asked when she caught the tail end of the conversation.

Patrice looked at her and smiled. She ran her hand through the child's black hair and responded sweetly, "Grown up stuff, sweetie. From what I hear, they have not seen each other for four months. They have a lot of grown up stuff to catch up on." She kissed Beth sweetly on the forehead and added, "I have an idea."

"What is it?" Jane replied.

"Why don't we all go back to my hotel for the night?" Patrice said.

Beth smiled brightly but it quickly disappeared when she thought of Grace and Loki back at home. "How will Grace and Loki know where I went?"

Jane jumped in and said, "I will go to Grace's house and let her know where you went. Then I will head to the hotel to join you two for a bit, alright."

Beth smiled wearily and watched as Patrice stood up and offered her hand to her. Beth took her hand and the two of them walked off to the hotel and Jane headed to Grace's house.

Once Jane reached the house she hesitated at the door because she did not want to interrupt anything that might be occurring inside the house. She raised her hand to knock but decided against it. Instead, she leaned forward and listened closely. Not hearing anything, Jane turned the door knob and entered the house cautiously. She walked into the kitchen and could not help but smile when she saw a line of clothes leading into her friend's room. It was a good thing that they had left when they did, for it appeared as if Grace and Loki could not wait to get back to her room.

Jane followed the trail of clothes that lead to Grace's room. The door was closed and there was no noise coming from inside. They were probably asleep in each other's arms. Jane wrote a quick note on a piece of paper that she had taken from the kitchen and slid it under the door. When she stood back up she heard the covers shift inside as one of them moved slightly. Jane smiled in response and left the house.

Grace and Loki where not asleep, but rather lying in each other's arms with their eyes closed. Loki heard something get slipped under the door so he kissed Grace on the forehead and said, "I am going to see what that was, I will be right back." Grace nodded her head and released him.

Loki stood up and walked over to the door and looked down. Lying there on the floor was a note. He picked it up and carried it over to the bed. He lay back down under the thin covers next to Grace as he read it out loud so she could hear as well. It read: 'Patrice has taken Beth back to her hotel for the night. I am going to go join them for a bit then I will head back to my hotel for the night. We will be back around noon tomorrow. Also, you may want to pick up the clothes that are strewn across the floor before Beth gets home. Jane.'

"So," Loki began as he set the letter down on the bedside table. "I guess we have more time together than we thought." He chuckled as he put his arm back around Grace who had her arms wrapped around his chest and her head was resting over his heart. There was a peaceful content smile resting on her face as Loki kissed her forehead once again.

Grace looked up at him and smiled as Loki looked back down at her and smiled tenderly. She gazed up into his green eyes and ran her soft hand gently down his pale face. She gazed down shyly as he ran his hand lovingly down her face and pulled her closer to him. He then kissed her neck tenderly and Grace closed her eyes and leaned her head back as he kissed her yet again this time on her right collarbone.

"Loki," Grace said breathlessly. "I need to catch my breath before you take it away again."

Loki smiled and said, "Alright, my love. What shall we do in the meantime?"

Grace smiled and responded by saying, "How about we just lye here in each other's arms for a bit."

Loki replied with a smile and a soft kiss on the lips. "We can do that."

After a few minutes, Grace was sleeping soundly in Loki's arms. He rolled over onto his back and gazed up at the ceiling as he thought of what their child might look like. Will he or she have blue eyes or green? Black or brown hair? White or blue skin? He hoped the child did not have blue skin.

Loki lay there for about an hour with Grace sound asleep resting her head on his chest. He watched her sleeping and marveled at her beauty. The graceful curves of her body and the elegant way her naked form was laying on his awoke a feeling of love in him that reminded him why he had married her. She was the most precious person he had ever met.

Grace stirred then and opened her eyes. She looked up into Loki's loving green eyes and smiled. She said sweetly, "Do you know what I was dreaming about?"

Loki chuckled softly and responded, "I am not a mind reader, Grace. You will have to tell me. Only if you want to though."

Grace pulled herself closer to him and whispered in his ear, "I was dreaming of our wedding. Do you remember?"

A smile formed on his face as Loki answered, "Of course I remember. How could I forget? It was the best day of my life. Well, apart from tonight."

Grace giggled and kissed him on the cheek. "May I ask you a question?"

"Of course you can." Loki smiled. "What is on your mind?"

"How is an Asgardian different then a human? Because I examined you very thoroughly on our wedding night and I did not notice anything different. Other than your blue skin and red eyes that would appear every now and again." Grace asked with a hint of shyness in her voice.

Loki let out a loud heartfelt laugh and kissed her on the lips. "First off, I am not an Asgardian, I am a Jotun. Secondly, the only difference is their lifespan and a mystical ability that is only given to some. But, the lifespan is basically the same for both Asgrdian's and Jotun's." He answered with laughter evident in his voice.

She loved hearing him laugh and seeing the smile of pure ecstasy on his face. "How is their lifespan different? Do they live a few years longer?" Grace asked with a smile on her face.

"Give or take five thousand years." Loki responded.

Sitting up and holding the sheets over her bare chest, Grace asked, "I probably should have asked this when we first met, but, how old are you?"

"In Asgardian years?" Loki asked as he sat up as well. When Grace nodded her head, Loki put his hand on her back and said, "In Asgardian years I am in my early twenties. But, in human years I am close to two thousand years old."

Grace did not have the reaction that Loki had expected her to. He half expected her to tell him to get out of her house. But instead she just said, "Two thousand? You are old enough to be my great, great, great, great-grandfather." A puzzled expression grew on her face as she thought over all that he had told her. As Loki watched her, he though over all the things that must be going through her mind as she gazed down at the blanket. Grace looked up into his bright green eyes and smiled. "So, in Asgardian eyes, I robbed the cradle." She then pulled him into a tight embrace and added, "Besides, I could care less how old you are, Loki. Age is just a number anyway."

Loki laughed a relieved laugh and kissed her on the lips tenderly. Grace leaned back on the bed and Loki rested lightly on top of her as they shared their love with one another with an adoring kiss. As they were still kissing, Loki said, "You know, Grace, I can be younger if you want me to be."

Grace thought he was kidding so she giggled and said as they were still close together, "Really?"

"Oh yes, watch this." That being said, Loki pulled away from her and remained above her as he phased into his teenage self. When he looked at her, the look of adoration was still in his green eyes as he gazed down at her from much younger eyes. Grace gasped as she watched this transformation before her eyes. "I can be anyone you want me to be." He added with a younger voice.

Grace just stared at him in disbelief as he looked down at her. Loki leaned down and kissed her on the lips and Grace, in response, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her and kissed him harder as she rolled on top of him.

Loki thought she liked him in his younger form so he held it for as long as he could. It was difficult to hold any one form for long while he was in her presence and he eventually phased into his Jotun form and Grace could tell instantly. She rested on top of his cold hard body and his frozen lips moved in sync with hers as they shared a passionate kiss with one another.

Once they separated slightly, Grace looked into his red eyes and said, "I love you in this form, Loki. As well as the one you were in when I first meet you."

"So, you love my younger and older self. Good to know." Loki smiled at her as he leaned forward to kiss her but was stopped by Grace putting her delicate fingers over his mouth.

"Not quite. I will adore you in any form you decide to take. But my favorites are the ones were you do not have to concentrate as hard. Meaning, your natural forms are my favorite. Your Jotun form and your 'older' form." Grace said as she wrapped her arms tighter around him and leaned forward as she gave him an affectionate kiss. Loki retuned the kiss while he remained in his Jotun form and he added more passion to the kiss then Grace had ever experienced in her life.

He rolled on top of her and whispered as he kissed her neck, "Say my name." In response, Grace smiled and whispered his name to him as she closed her eyes. Loki continued to kiss her neck slowly and romantically as he said, "Say it again." Grace smiled even brighter as her eyes remained closed and his arms wrapped around her even tighter as she whispered his name once more.

The wedded couple then made love to each other for the second time that they were in their room on Midgard.


	15. I Believe

The next morning, Grace awoke on the bed alone. She desperately scanned the room for Loki and, not seeing him, she jumped out of bed and put his green shirt on quickly before she left the bedroom. All of the clothes had been picked up and there was the smell of bacon and eggs wafting through the air. She rounded the corner into the kitchen and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Loki standing there at the stove cooking breakfast. He was wearing a dark pair of blue jeans and a tight bright green shirt which made his pale white skin look even lighter. It was obvious that he was not paying much attention when he got dressed because that was her shirt that he was wearing.

Grace smiled and walked up to him and hugged him from behind. A smile spread across his face when he felt her arms around him. He turned away from his cooking and embraced her tightly as he said to her, "Good morning, Mrs. Laufyson. How did you sleep?"

"I slept wonderfully, Mr. Laufeyson." Grace answered with a bright smile on her face. "How did you sleep?"

"Better than ever." Loki answered as he looked down into her adoring blue eyes. "You can go get dressed. Breakfast will be ready soon."

"You learned how to cook?" Grace asked in wonder.

"Yes I did. I learned for you." Loki answered as he watched her look the bacon that he had cooked. "I thought maybe after breakfast," He paused and kissed her hand romantically, "We can have a little dessert."

Grace smiled as she listened to his words. "What is for dessert?" She asked.

Loki pulled her closer to him and said romantically, "That is for me to know, and you to find out."

Grace smiled lovingly at him and headed back to the bedroom to get changed. She put on a long black skirt and kept Loki's green shirt on. She casually walked back into the kitchen and sat at the table as Loki set a plate of two eggs and three pieces of bacon in front of her. He then sat beside of her with a separate plate of bacon and eggs. He took one look at the shirt that she was wearing and asked, "Do you have my shirt on?"

Grace smiled and echoed, "Do you have my shirt on?"

"No, I…" Loki trailed off as he looked down and noticed his blunder this morning. Then he laughed at himself and Grace joined in. They sat there and ate their breakfast in relative silence as they occasionally spoke to each other. The meal was very good, thus the reason why neither of them spoke much.

After the meal, Loki took the plates and put them in the sink as Grace watched him move elegantly about the room. She wondered how she managed to receive the amazing gift of meeting him. He was the most remarkable person she had ever met. She watched as he slowly and carefully washed the dishes with a pleasant smile on his face. He knew that she was watching him.

After a few moments, Grace stood up and walked slowly up to him and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. Loki smiled as he set the plate he was washing down in the sink and turned around to face his wife. Once he was facing her, Loki leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips as he enfolded his arms around her. Grace kissed him back as she ran her hands up his back and rested them on his shoulders. In response to this, Loki pulled her closer to him and kissed her neck as he picked her up in his arms.

Grace smiled and whispered seductively in his ear, "Shall we return to the bedroom?"

"We shall." Loki replied as he began to walk towards the bedroom. Once he entered, he closed the door behind him softly with his magic as he laid Grace down gently on the bed while their lips remained locked in an ardent kiss. Loki moved his hands to her waist and began to slowly lift her shirt over her head. She lifted her hands over her head and when her shirt was off; Loki took his off as well and rested his bare scared chest on her white thin torso gently taking care not to crush the child in her womb.

Meanwhile back at the hotel, Beth and Patrice were getting ready to leave when someone knocked on the door. Patrice walked to the door and opened it to find that Jane was standing there. Her shoulder length brown hair was up in a ponytail and her hazel eyes smiled as she looked at Patrice with a warm grin upon her face.

"Good morning, Jane." Patrice said warmly.

"Good morning, Patrice. Are you two about ready to go?" Jane asked.

"Just about. Beth needs a few more minutes." Patrice responded.

Jane nodded her head and came into the room. It was small yet cozy as Beth got dressed in the bathroom. There was a medium size window on the south wall facing the city. Jane walked over to it and looked out and saw a spectacular view of the city busying itself with its daily activity. This room had to have cost her quite a bit of money.

Then, Beth came running out of the bathroom dressed in a new pink top and a black skirt that came down to her ankles. When she saw Jane standing there, she ran up to her and wrapped her arms around Jane's legs. Jane looked down at her and smiled. She returned the embrace as a pleasant smile rested on both of their faces.

Jane picked her up and asked Beth as she looked into the child's green eyes, "What did you and your grandmother do last night?"

"She took me shopping. I got a few new outfits and some toys." Beth answered excitedly.

"Really? May I see them?" Jane answered as she mirrored Beth's enthusiasm.

In response, she set Beth down and she ran over to a bag beside the bed. Jane followed her over and watched as she pulled a few stuffed animals and Barbie dolls out of the bag. There was a blue dog, a brown teddy bear, a pink cat, and a white rabbit. As Beth pulled every stuffed animal out of the bag, she gave each of them a tight loving hug. She never had a stuffed animal before because Grace could never afford one and she did not want to ask her to spend any of her trifling amounts of money on one for her when there were so many other ways it could be used. Beth knew all too well that if she expressed interest in a stuffed animal, Grace would stop at nothing to obtain one for her.

Jane smiled as she watched her and Patrice walked up behind her and said, "It is a blessing beyond words to have children."

"I can only imagine how wonderful it is to feel them growing inside of me and holding them in my arms after they are born." Jane looked down and grinned. She then looked back up at Beth and saw that she was opening one of her Barbie dolls and was struggling with the plastic that was used to keep the doll stationary. Jane smiled and walked over to assist Beth as she strained against the wrapping.

Jane pulled a pair of scissors out of her purse and cut the remaining wrapping off of the doll and gave it to Beth who thanked her for her help. She then stroked the Barbie dolls brown hair as she took a closer look at its face. She noticed that the doll had brown eyes and asked, "Why does she have brown eyes and not blue ones like Grace?"

"Well, honey, usually people with brown hair have brown eyes." Jane explained. "The reason why Grace has blue eyes probably has to do with her daddy's eye color."

Beth thought about it for a moment then asked Jane as she looked into her eyes curiously "So, if Grace and Loki have kids, they will have green eyes?"

"That is likely, yes." Jane answered with a bright smile resting on her face.

"Okay." Beth answered as she turned back to her doll and spoke to it indistinctly.

Jane stood up and breathed a sigh of relief and Patrice put her hand warmly on her shoulder and said, "Well done! I think you are just about ready to be a mother yourself."

Jane laughed and replied as she watched Beth open the box of the second doll, "I am not quite ready for that kind of commitment just yet. I applaud Grace for taking it on while she lives such a hectic life as it is."

Patrice looked at her and said, "A baby only makes life a lot more hectic. I hope she is ready."

"Oh she is." Jane responded as she looked back at Grace's mother. "With everything that life has thrown at her, there is only one thing that I noticed that broke her."

"What was that?" Patrice asked curiously.

"Loki leaving her for a time." Jane answered plaintively.

About an hour later, back at the house, Loki and Grace lay on the bed with the covers resting on top of their bodies and their clothing was once again lying on the floor. This time though, the mess was confined to the bedroom and did not extend any farther. Loki was lying on his back as Grace rested her head on his chest as he held her tightly to himself. Their eyes were closed as a peaceful smile rested on their faces. They took in the other person's presence as their arms were tightly wound around the other refusing to let go.

As they lay in each other's arms, Loki felt an overwhelming feeling of love that he never in all his life experienced on Asgard. He only felt it when Grace was at his side. He would do anything for her. Absolutely anything! He opened his bright green eyes and glanced down at her and noticed that she was asleep in his arms once again. He smiled and kissed her forehead lovingly. As soon as he did that, her eyes opened and she looked up into his eyes with her blue eyes sparkling like diamonds in the dim light of the bedroom.

Grace smiled and her lips parted and an adoring voice like honey emerged as she said, "I love you."

Every time Loki heard those words come out of her soft pink lips, it felt like his heart stopped for a quick moment. He smiled warmly and whispered back, "I love you too, Grace."

When Grace heard him say that he loved her as well with a loving smile on his face, she felt her heart flutter. She always knew he had a noble heart, but she did not know how astounding it truly was until Loki began opening up. She never expected him to open up to her. Even at that, she never expected him to love her back. She just wanted to lie in his tender embrace forever.

Loki then kissed her on the lips passionately as his hands ran over her bare back and gripped her waist and drew her closer to him. Grace returned this sign of affection and she added to it by placing her hands over his heart as she rested on top of him. She then ran the fingers of her right hand through his black hair as she kissed him all the more ardently.

Loki responded by putting his right hand on the back of her head to pull her closer into an even deeper kiss. They both lost themselves in their shared affections and did not notice time passing. Far too soon, the front door opened and the voice of Jane was heard calling out, "We are here."

Grace and Loki remained close to each other for a few more moments with their lips a few centimeters away from each other and their eyes closed as they breathed each other in. Eventually, Grace kissed him on the lips tenderly then she rolled off of him and sat up. As she got out of bed, Loki watched her get dressed and she smiled at him coyly when she noticed that he was observing her closely.

He was content to lie on his side propped up on his elbow as he watched Grace move about the room but, due to her persistence, Loki eventually got up and got dressed as well. They then excited out of the room and entered the kitchen with smiles on their faces. When Beth saw them, she ran up and embraced them one at a time. She then proceeded to show them the new toys that Patrice had purchased for her. Grace gasped and looked up at her mother with a shocked expression on her face.

Patrice smiled as she watch Beth excitedly show her mother the new things that she had received and when Grace looked up at her, her breath caught in her throat. There was a look of surprise and caution in her bright blue eyes. It was almost as if Grace was trying to tell her not to break her daughter's heart like she had broken hers by abandoning her all those years ago. As quick as that expression appeared, it disappeared from Grace's eyes to be replaced by a loving smile.

Grace wrapped her mother in a warm embrace and thanked her for watching Beth last night. After they parted, Patrice turned to Loki and asked, "Is it alright if I give you a hug as well?"

Loki smiled warmly and replied as he spread his arms out wide, "Of course you can."

After they had embraced for a few moments, Jane said, "Well, I should probably leave you now. You have some catching up to do with your mother." Jane then gave everyone in the room a hug and then she left the house to head back to New Mexico.

After Jane had left and Beth was over at Liza's house, Grace, Loki, and Patrice were all sitting around the table eating lunch of toast and jam. Patrice watched closely as her daughter and son-in-law ate their meager meal in relative silence. But, Grace used her left hand as Loki used his right hand to eat. So, she then 'accidentally' dropped her napkin onto the floor and when she bent over to pick it up, she snuck a look at their hands. A smile grew on her face when she noticed that their fingers where intertwined tightly with each other's under the table. She was glad that someone loved her daughter enough to stay by her side whenever he could.

Once Patrice sat back up, she noticed that Grace and Loki were now gazing at each other with adoration written on their faces, almost as if they were unaware of her presence in the room. She remained silent as she watched them, secretly hoping that she would witness them share a kiss with each other. But, she was disappointed when Grace let go of his hand and stood. She then picked up the empty plates that were on the table and set them in the sink.

Patrice smiled at Loki and folded her hands on the table and asked, "How did you two meet, Loki?"

Loki looked up at her and smiled slightly as he answered, "She saved my life. In more ways than one." He then glanced over at Grace who was washing the dishes and smiled. He then gazed down at the ground and, with a lowered voice, added, "When I think back to all that I had done in my life and all the years that I lived," he paused for a minute and took a deep breath and he looked up into his mother-in-laws eyes as he finished his statement. "I think I could always feel her presence with me even before I saw her for the first time. It was faint, but she was clearly there with me. I never understood what it was, then, when I saw her, it was like something finally clicked. I finally understood what I have been missing all my life. It was her."

Patrice just stared at Loki with her mouth open as a tear formed in her right eye. "That is the most amazing thing I have ever heard! I have to give you another hug." She said as she leaned forward and threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. She then whispered in his ear, "I am ever so glad that you are my son-in-law, Loki. I see the way that you look at Grace and the way she looks at you. That is the way I use to look at my friend Bragi. Anyway," She pulled away from Loki and wiped a tear from her right eye. "It warms my heart to see how much you love her."

Loki smiled at her warmly and replied, "It is a complete mystery to me why she would love me the way that she does. With all that I had done in my life, all the lives I extinguished, all the hurt I caused," he paused as he formed the statement in his mind. "Why does she love me?"

"From the little that Jane told me about you, you both have a similar background. Perhaps she saw that you need someone to listen to you and when she did, she fell in love." Patrice responded.

"That very well could be." Loki answered. As he glanced back over at Grace, who was in the process of drying the dishes with a towel, he smiled warmly. He then returned his attention to Patrice as she asked him another question.

Grace looked over at Loki and called out his name. There was a certain amount of anxiety in her voice as she spoke and when he looked at her, there was a clear appearance of apprehension on her face. Suddenly, her legs gave out underneath her and she hit the floor with a thud. Loki was by her side in an instant as he picked her up and carried her into the sitting room with Patrice following close behind constantly asking what was wrong.

Loki laid her down on the cot that he use to sleep on and knelt beside her as he grasped her hand warmly. Grace looked into his green eyes as they were locked on hers tenderly. Patrice was speechless when she saw her daughter begin to shake and convulse on the cot with sweat rolling down her face. Not knowing what to do, she ran into the kitchen and grabbed a towel and ran cold tap water over it. She then rushed back into the sitting room and placed it on her daughter's forehead.

Loki looked up at her and smiled as he mouthed the words, 'Thank you' to Patrice then he returned his attention to his wife who was still convulsing on the cot. Noticing her worried expression, Loki explained to Patrice, "Last I knew, this happens to Grace about once a month on a random day and time. As far as I know, it is not life threatening."

"What is it?" Patrice asked desperately as she too knelt down at Grace's side.

"I do not know." Loki confessed as a tear ran down his face. "It worries me every time, for it seems to get more and more drawn out every month. I had hoped that this was over when her legs got better."

Patrice saw this and looked down at her daughter and saw that she was beginning to cry as well as she gazed up at her shaken husband. The whole time Grace was trembling, she kept thinking, 'I hope this does not harm our child'.

For an entire hour, Grace lay on the cot by the window with a combination of hot and cold sweat pouring out of her brow. Loki stayed vigilant by her side the entire time holding her hand tightly and stroking it as she shook while Patrice was pacing back and forth nervously. Once the hour was up, Grace relaxed and looked into the worried faces of Loki and her mother and said, "I should go to the hospital tomorrow to make sure that the baby is alright."

Loki kissed her hand in relief and answered quietly, "I will go with you."

The next morning, Loki awoke in bed and smile. With his eyes still closed, he reached for Grace. When he could not feel her lying at his side, he opened his eyes and discovered that he was in bed alone. He was lying on his bare chest and he sat up and looked about the room only to discover that she was not there at all. He stood and left the room only to find that Grace was sitting at the kitchen table with a glass of water in her hands as she gazed out the window with a miserable expression on her face.

With a sigh of relief, Loki walked over to her and sat down at her side. He kissed her forehead warmly and said, "You scared me this morning."

Grace responded without even looking at him when she said, "How did I manage that?" Her voice was filled with despair as she spoke.

"You were not there when I woke up." Loki answered as he gazed at her sorrowful face. "Were you awake all night?"

Grace sighed and looked Loki in the eye and said, "I could not sleep. I am so worried that our child is hurt."

"I am sure our baby is fine." Loki said as he pulled her into a tight comforting embrace.

Grace started to cry violently then and she managed to say the words, "My trembling fit has not happened to me for four months."

Loki sat there and thought over her words for a few minutes. His green eyes searched for something in the distance that could not be found as he held Grace in his arms. "Could this be my fault?" He whispered after a few moments.

Grace pulled away from him and looked him sternly in the eye when she answered, "Of course not. Why would you think that?"

Loki looked into her blue eyes and responded, "Because you were fine until I returned. I cannot help but wonder if I never came back, your little trembling fit would not have happened."

Grace ran her pale hand through his black hair and said, "I believe it would have happen regardless if you were here or not. Honestly, Loki, you have to stop thinking that your presence is a purveyor of doom."

Loki smiled as he glanced down at the ground. When he looked back up at Grace, he said with a hint of melancholy in his voice, "Are you ready to go?"

Grace grinned sadly and stood up and walked to Beth's door as Loki went back to their room to put a shirt on. She knocked on the door and called in saying that she and Loki were going to run an errand real quick. She then walked back to Loki's side and took his hand as they walked out the door and headed to the hospital.

Loki and Grace walked side by side to the hospital with their hands tightly grasped together. Grace's head was hanging low as if she already knew that their child was harmed. Loki picked up on her despondent attitude and squeezed her hand reassuringly. Once they reach the hospital, she smiled up at him weekly and he pulled her into a tight embrace.

When they entered the hospital, they were instantly hit with the stench of the cleaning solution that hospitals always use. The bleak white walls seemed to draw all hope out of the two as they walked up to the receptionist. Once they reached the desk, Loki asked, "Can we have an emergency sonogram, please?"

The receptionist, a black lady with deep drown eyes and thick black hair that was braided into a million different braids, said, "What happened?" Her voice was sweet and urgent as she spoke and looked down at Grace's growing stomach.

"I fell. This is my first pregnancy and I want to make sure I do everything right." Grace answered as she looked into the receptionists eyes.

"How far along are you?" She asked.

"Four months." Grace answered as she followed her back to the hospital room.

Once they got back to the room, the nurse told Loki that he had to wait outside, despite his persistence that he was the father, and Grace went inside and got changed into a hospital robe. She then lay down on a bed and lifted her robe just enough for the doctor to put a sonogram machine on her stomach. He moved it around for a few moments as he searched for the child in her womb. He furrowed his eyebrows as he continued his search and found nothing.

The doctor turned to Grace and asked, "Ma'am, are you sure you are pregnant?" His deep grey eyes set on her in an accusing glance as if he was saying, 'You are wasting my time'.

"Yes, I am." Grace responded agitatedly. "Look again, please."

Shaking his head, the doctor returned the sonogram to her stomach and looked back at the monitor. He searched for a few more minutes and was just about to give up when he saw something on the screen. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that it was the head of a child. Smiling, he looked over the rest of the body and looked back at Grace and said, "Forgive me, I see your children here. They appear to be fine."

Grace sighed a sigh of relief as she rested her head back. His words then sunk in and she looked up at him in confusion and asked, "I am sorry, did you say 'children'? Plural form?"

The doctor smiled stiffly at her and replied, "Congratulations." He then left the room and a nurse came in and gave Grace all of the things that she would need for the pregnancy and left the room so Grace could get dressed.

When Grace left the room and Loki saw her, he ran up to her and asked if their child was alright. Grace was stunned and she did not speak the entire way home even though Loki kept pressing for an answer. She kept contemplating what the doctor had said to her. Was it possible that she was pregnant with twins?

Growing more and more distressed every moment that Grace remained silent, Loki began to panic. He imagined the news that their baby would be deformed and stunted. A despondent look appeared in his green eyes as he waited for a response that never came. Once they reached the house, Grace walked straight into her room and Loki followed her closely.

Patrice was in the house and when they entered she set her cup of tea down and glanced over in time to see her daughter and son-in-law walk straight into the bedroom. Distressed, she stood and walked over to the door to listen as Loki and Grace spoke with each other.

Grace was seated on the bed as Loki sat beside her and held her hand. Then, Grace pulled the items that the doctor had given her out of her bag and handed them to Loki. He examined the prenatal pills and the vitamins that she handed to him and looked back up at her and asked, "What are these for?"

"They are to help the children during the duration of my pregnancy." Grace answered as she glanced up into his eyes.

"Children? Did you say children?" Loki asked as he gazed questioningly into her eyes.

"It is twins, Loki. I am pregnant with twins." Grace glanced up at him sheepishly. "By the way, they are in perfect health. My trembling did not harm them at all."

Loki smiled brightly with his green eyes shining in the dark of the room. He stood up and helped Grace to her feet. He then knelt in front of her and wrapped his arms around her waist as he rested his head on her growing womb. A tear ran down the right side of his face as a stunning smile rested on his face.

Grace gazed down at him and grinned slightly as she asked, "You are not upset? Twins will be more difficult to care for."

"Why would I be upset? This is the best piece of news one could ever receive." Loki answered without even looking up at her. He continued to rest his head on her womb as his eyes remained closed and a peaceful smile remained on his face. Grace rested her hand on top of his head tenderly and the other on his shoulder as Loki placed his right hand affectionately on her back.

They remained in that position for a few moments when there was a knock at the door. It was Patrice. She called in, "Is everything alright?" with her lovely soft voice.

Grace looked up with her hand still resting on top of Loki's head. She had a bright smile on her lips as she answered her mother saying, "Yes. Everything is fine. We will be out in a few minutes." Loki looked up at her and saw that she was radiant with joy. Her blue eyes seemed to be shining with a new light as she spoke to her mother on the other side of the door. She then looked down at Loki and as he stood up he placed his hand warmly on the back of her head and kissed her romantically on the lips. Grace placed her hands tenderly around his waist as she pulled him closer to her while they shared their affections.

They kissed each other for a few moments when Grace pulled away slightly and whispered, "I love you more then you will ever know." Their lips remained closed together as she whispered to him. When she did, Loki pulled her into an even deeper more passionate kiss. Grace responded by throwing her arms around his neck as she kissed him back.

Loki pulled away and said, "We should go out to the kitchen and speak with your mother. I fear that she is beginning to worry." As he spoke to her, he ran his hand gently down the side of her face. Grace smiled up at him as he griped her hand and brought it to his lips and kissed it.

Out in the kitchen, Patrice was pacing back and forth once again as she waited for Grace and Loki to come out of the bedroom. What was going on in there? The news of the child was not sorrowful. That much was clear by the tone of voice that her daughter held when she spoke to her husband. The child must be alright, but what was keeping them in there for so long?

Just then, the door to the bedroom opened and Loki and Grace walked out hand in hand. Patrice watched as they separated and Loki headed towards the sitting room and Grace got a drink out of the fridge then she went into the sitting room and sat at her husband's side on a cot. Patrice followed them into the sitting room and sat across from them on a separate cot with an expectant eager gaze. "What happened at your doctor's appointment today, Grace?"

Grace smiled and looked over at Loki who smiled back at her. She answered, "The baby is doing splendidly. My tremoring did not affect the child at all." Patrice smiled happily at the thought that she was going to be a grandmother. "But," Grace paused for a moment and took his hand. Patrice leaned forward and listened intently to her daughter. "There is one other piece of news. We are going to have twins on our hands."

Patrice just looked at them for a few minutes with a shocked expression on her face. She was going to be a grandmother of twins? As she thought of it, a bright smile grew on her face. The image of her holding two babies in her arms as she smiled down at them flashed in her mind. She looked back up and Grace and asked, "Do you have any ideas for names? If not, I am more than happy to assist in any way I can. Do you know what gender they are?"

Grace leaned forward and responded, "I am not sure. I would like to just wait and see. But, it is up to Loki as well."

Loki smiled and put his arm around Grace tenderly and replied, "It does not matter to me. As long as they are healthy." He then kissed her cheek warmly and added, "I do not think we have talked about names yet, have we?"

Grace thought for a moment and answered, "You know, I do not think we have either. What do you have in mind?"

Loki thought for a moment and responded by saying, "How about, if they are girls, we name them Brenna and Dagny. If they are boys, we could name them Even and Balder."

Grace thought about it for a moment and smiled. "What if it is a boy and a girl though?"

"Then I defer to your good judgment." Loki replied.

Grace smiled and turned to her mother and asked her, "Do you have any suggestions?"

Patrice smiled and responded by saying, "I have always liked the name 'Milo' for a boy. If I ever had a son that is what I would have named him."

Grace smiled and glanced up at the ceiling. "I like it. What about you, Loki?" She looked over at him and grinned as she waited for a response.

Loki smiled down at her and answered, "I love it. As for the girl, we shall name her Gracie. After her mother."

Grace blushed and looked down at the floor as he pushed a stand of her brown hair behind her ear. Patrice observed as Loki lovingly stroked her daughters face and examined her smile. She watched him take her hand and bring it up to his lips as he kissed it softly. Grace looked up at him and placed her hand on the side of his pale face and gazed into his adoring green eyes.

Loki, forgetting that Patrice was sitting across from them, leaned forward and kissed her affectionately on the lips. Grace kissed him back as he placed his hand behind her head to pull her closer to him. She placed her hand over his heart and felt it beating violently and intensely.

Patrice watched them and smiled. She noticed that Loki was truly and madly in love with her daughter. It was also clear that Grace was thoroughly captivated by him and that she would do anything for him. Loki began to pull away as they shared their passions with each other and Grace pulled him closer to her. In response, he smiled and kissed her back softly.

Patrice watched them and marveled at how much they must love each other for they seemed to be completely and totally devoted to each other. They were not even aware of her presence in the room as they shared their affection with each other with a warm kiss. Patrice stood up and left the room to give them more privacy. She headed into the kitchen and got a cup of coffee and sat at the table and drank it as she waited for them to come out of the sitting room.

A few moments later, Patrice heard them stand up and head into the kitchen. Both Grace and Loki had a bright smile on their face as she sat down at the table and Loki headed to the fridge as he began to prepare lunch for them. Grace looked up at her mother and said, "I am sorry about that. I could not help it."

Patrice smiled and said, "No need to apologize, Grace. I was the same way with your father. He was enthralling and hypnotic."

"Wait, the man who raised me or the man from Asgard?" Grace asked.

Patrice smiled and responded by saying, "Bragi. He was definitely one of a kind, like Loki is. I wish he could see you now. He would be so proud of the woman that you became."

"What do you mean by 'would'?" Grace asked.

Patrice sighed and responded, "When Philip discovered that I had an affair, he found Bragi and killed him. He was never charged with murder because the body was never found. And when we learned that I was pregnant with you, he let me keep you because he thought it would help remind me of who was in charge."

"Great, so I was raised by a control freak." Grace responded sarcastically.

Patrice laughed and embraced her daughter warmly and said, "I see you have not changed. You and Philip where always butting heads and disagreeing on everything. There was no question that you were Bragi's child. You are so much like him." She ran her hand through her daughters brown hair lovingly as she spoke to her.

Then Loki came to the table and set down two plates of food. One was set in front of Patrice and the other was placed in front of Grace. She looked down at it and saw that there was an overabundance of food on her plate and only half as much on her mother's plate. Grace looked up at Loki and asked, "Why did you give me so much food?"

Loki grinned warmly and kissed her forehead lovingly as he responded, "You need to keep up your strength. You are eating for three now." He knelt down beside her and placed his hand gently on her womb as he gazed into her blue eyes.

Grace smiled as she put her delicate hand on the side of his face. "Are you going to eat something as well? I hope you will." She whispered tenderly.

Loki smiled and replied, "Of course I will. I just want to make sure you eat first."

In response, Grace ran pale hand through his black hair and picked up the fork and began to eat the meal that Loki had brought over for her. Loki smiled as he stood and walked back into the kitchen and got some food together for himself. He then came and sat at the table and ate in silence as Patrice and Grace spoke to each other every now and again.

A few minutes later, they all finished their meal and Loki stood and took the plates from the table and set them in the sink. As he did so Patrice asked Grace questions about the wedding, "What was it like? Was it beautiful?"

Grace responded with a smile, "I honestly do not know. All I could focus on was making sure I did not trip and fall on my face as Loki stood a few feet away."

Patrice smiled as she asked, "Are your in-laws easy to get along with?"

Grace paused and thought for a moment about how she should phrase the answer. "Not really." She answered after a few moments. "Loki's mother died a few years ago so I did not have the honor of meeting her. His father is, well," she paused and looked over at him as he washed the dishes. "His father is a real piece of work. He is probably one of the rudest people I have ever met."

"Really?" Patrice asked in shock as she looked over at Loki as he silently washed the dishes. "How did he turn out as sweet and caring as he is if his father is a jerk?" She whispered.

Grace thought for a moment and answered, "Loki had a very difficult childhood and his mother helped him though most of it. If you want more information, you should ask him. For it is not my tale to tell."

Patrice smiled weakly at her daughter and glanced over at Loki. From what Jane had told her, Loki was just extremely lonely and sad. Was it possible that he was as broken as Grace? That could explain why they had formed such a close relationship with each other. She wondered if were possible to speak to him and ask for his side of the story.

Grace saw this in her mother's expression and stood up. She walked over to Loki and whispered something in his ear. In response, he smiled, kissed her cheek, and walked over to the kitchen table as she resumed cleaning the dishes. Once he sat at the table, Loki smiled warmly and said, "Grace tells me that you have some questions for me."

Patrice smiled timidly and sat up straight. "Yes, that is correct. I would like to ask you a few questions about your childhood if that is alright with you."

Loki paused and the smile disappeared off of his face for a split-second and was replaced by a look of desperation and agony. It was quickly replaced by an expression of confidence as he responded, "What would you like to know?"

Patrice glanced over at her daughter who was listening to them and saw a peaceful smile on her features. She looked back at Loki and saw that he was waiting patiently. "Grace tells me that your mother helped you through most of your childhood. Is this true?"

"Yes. That is correct." Loki responded briefly. He then sat forward slightly and asked, "I am just curious, how much do you already know about my past?"

"Not much." Patrice confessed. "Just that you had a very lonely childhood. And that you tried to take over the city a few years ago."

Loki nodded his head slightly and responded, "Alright." He ran his hands through his coal black hair and began to speak. "Grace was correct in saying that my mother helped me a lot. What she neglected to mention was that my birth parents left me lying on the ground to die moments after I was born." Patrice gasped and put her hand over her mouth as Loki continued to speak. "My adopted father, or whatever you want to call him, just brought me in in the hopes of bringing peace between my people and his.

"I was never told that I was adopted so as I grew, I believed myself to belong were I was even though I never felt like I did. My mother was the only one who ever took an interest in me." Loki smiled when he spoke of Frigga. "While my father was too busy with my brother, my mother taught me all of the skills I would need in this life. A few years later, my worst fear had been realized. I was told that I was not related to the family that raised me. But rather, I was the son of their worst enemy. That is when I started rebelling and trying to take control of everything.

"Eventually, I was cast out for a time. When I returned, I was put into prison for a few years. Then we were invaded. It was these invaders who killed my mother." Loki paused for a moment as he examined the horror stricken face of his mother-in-law. Grace was now sitting at his side holding his hand tightly as he spoke. "My brother broke me out of prison to avenge our mother's death which I did. But I also twisted it to my own ends. I faked my own death so I could go and get revenge on the man who raised me. My plan was found out and I was thrown into prison for a few more years. Then, I was sent here and I met Grace shortly afterwards." When he said her name, Loki brought her hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly. Grace blushed when he did this for he added as he gazed at her, "It was the best thing that ever could have happened to me. She has saved my life in more than one manner without expecting anything in return."

Patrice was struggling to digest all that Loki had told her. He was the most tortured soul she had ever met. And yet, he was a complete sweetheart. No wonder Grace fell for him. They both had similar back grounds and, by the sound of it, reacted totally differently. She watched as the two of them gazed into each other's eyes. It was almost as if they were entranced by each other.

Then, the door opened and Beth came running into the house and ran directly into Grace's open arms. Grace picked her up and placed her on her hip as she walked over to the fridge as she searched for an afternoon snack for her daughter. Patrice looked across the table at Loki and smiled. "Where did you and Grace go on a honeymoon after the marriage?" She asked in a whisper.

"We did not really have one." Loki confessed. "Grace had to leave the next day, so we just stayed in my chamber that night."

Patrice sat forward slightly when she asked, "What do mean by 'she had to leave'? Where did you two get married?"

"We got married were I was raised. It was up on Asgard." Loki answered.

"It is real?" Patrice asked in amazement. "I always thought it was a story."

Loki smiled weakly and answered, "Yes, it is real. In fact," He paused and leaned forward slightly. "I can even take you there someday if you like."

Patrice thought about it for a moment and then responded, "I do not know. Philip would be upset with me."

Loki raised one of his eyebrows and asked, "Even if I were to present you to Bragi?"

Her eyes wide with excitement, Patrice said, "He is alive?"

Loki smiled and said, "He definitely is alive. I can imagine that he would love to see you and to meet Grace."

"I would love to go up to Asgard and meet Bragi!" Patrice responded. "Well, I should be going. Good night."


	16. Home to Stay

One month later, Grace and Loki were lying in bed together wrapped in each other's arms. They were both awake, yet their eyes remained closed as they enjoyed the other person's presence held close in their arms. After a few minutes, Grace broke the silence by asking her husband, "Loki, do you ever miss Asgard?"

Loki opened his green eyes and gazed down at her and saw that her bright blue eyes were locked on him as she waited for a response. He took a deep breath and answered, "Sometimes I do. But it is only certain things that I miss."

"Like what?" Grace inquired.

"I miss the beautiful sky. I miss the pleasant meals. I miss my large bed. Most of all, I miss walking in my mother garden." Loki answered.

A sorrowful expression grew on her face as Grace responded by saying as she lowered her gaze, "I am sorry."

Loki smiled warmly and kissed her forehead as he answered, "It is alright, darling. I do not want to go back to Asgard."

"Really?" Grace asked as she looked up at him in shock. "It is wonderful up there."

"True." Loki gazed deeply into her eyes and responded in a loving whisper, "But it is not nearly as wonderful as the sight I see before me now."

When Grace heard him say this she smiled as she leaned over and kissed him slowly on the lips. They shared their love for each other with a romantic kiss that lasted for a full six minutes. Their lips moved in sync with each other's as their eyes remained closed. Loki placed his hands warmly on her back as he pulled her closer to him. In response to this, Grace lay on top of him and ran her thin delicate hands up his bare chest and rested them behind his head. Loki smiled and sat up slowly as he held Grace in his arms while they remained locked in a passionate kiss.

Grace sat on her husband's lap as she kissed him all the more passionately and ran her hands through his black hair. Loki pulled her closer to him as he placed his hands warmly around her waist. Once the kiss ended, they remained in each other's arms for a few minutes and just gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. Grace was still seated on his lap as Loki looked into her eyes with a warm smile on his face. He gazed into her eyes and said, "You are the best thing that has ever happened to me, Grace. I love you so much."

Grace then leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips once more. Loki responded by returning the kiss and ran his right hand under her night shirt and rested it on her growing womb. Once his hand was placed on her womb, she pulled away slightly and whispered, "You are going to be a wonderful father, Loki." Loki smiled and kissed her once more as he pulled her closer to himself while he phased into his Jotun form.

After a few minutes, Grace and Loki were in the kitchen preparing a meal when there was a knock at the door. Grace walked over to the door and upon opening it, she smiled and ushered their guest into the small house. Once they entered the kitchen, Loki looked up and smiled brightly when he saw his mother-in-law enter the room. He dried his hands with a towel and walked up to her and embraced her tightly. Patrice returned the embrace with a warm smile on her face.

Once they separated, Loki returned to the counter and began mixing the ingredients for their breakfast of French toast. Grace turned to her mother and asked, "To what do we owe the pleasure of your company, mother?"

Patrice looked into her daughters bright blue eyes and smiled as she responded, "I just thought I should come by for a visit." She lied. Instead of making a big deal out of it, Grace just smiled and embraced her mother tightly.

Grace then turned to Loki and placed her hand gently on his arm as she passed by him while she headed to the cabinet get a glass of water for her mother. When she touched him, Loki felt a jolt of electricity shoot through his entire frame. He looked over at her and watched as she got a glass out of the cupboard and filled it with water from the sink. All this time, as he was at her side, his love and admiration for her has only increased. With each look he felt himself falling for her all over again. He felt like the luckiest man in all the nine realms to have met her.

Grace took the glass of water over to her mother and when she accepted the glass, Grace smiled and looked up at Loki and watched as he stirred the French toast batter. The memory of her life before him came to mind and her eyes began to water as she remembered all those nights spent begging God to send her someone to who would stay with her. Then, Loki showed up, practically at her front door. Once she got to know him, she grew to love him. Once she loved him, she found that she could not live without him by her side. She adored him so much; she would die for him without a second thought.

Grace felt her heart flutter when Loki looked over his shoulder at her and smiled brightly. He parted his lips and a voice like honey spilled out when he asked, "Will you take over for a moment, Grace? I am going to go wake Beth."

In response, Grace walked up to him and stood on her tip toes as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him gently on the lips. Loki smiled as he kissed her back and wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her in closer to him. He then took the ties of his blue apron and tied them around her waist and Grace responded by putting her arms around his waist. He then lifted the strap that was around his neck and slipped it over her head as they were still kissing each other. Patrice had to stifle a laugh as she watched them. She knew what he was doing.

After their lips parted, Loki looked down into her eyes and smiled. Grace smiled back up at him and whispered, "I love you."

Loki whispered back, "I love you more." With that said he kissed her once again as he phased into his Jotun form not thinking that Patrice was in the room. His icy blue skin was against Grace's white skin as he kissed her and ran his cold blue hand up her arm and rested it on her shoulder. Grace smiled when she felt his cold form against hers and continued to kiss him as she wrapped her arms around his frozen neck.

When Patrice saw Loki phase into his Jotun form, fear rose up in her innermost being. Not for herself, but for her daughter and her grandchildren. She was preparing to run up to them and snatch Grace out of his arms but when they separated and Grace looked into her husband's tender bright red eyes she became perplexed. Loki smiled down at her as Grace put her hand on the side of his blue face.

"You really do love this form." Loki whispered tenderly.

"What do you think?" Grace whispered back as she gazed adoringly into his red eyes.

Loki smiled and released her from his grasp and turned to walk away but Grace stopped him by asking, "Where are you going? Are you not going to finish making breakfast?"

Loki turned around and smiled. "I told you, I am going to wake Beth. You can take over from here."

Grace then noticed that she was wearing the apron now, so she just smiled and turned to the batter in the plastic white bowl. She then remembered that Loki was in his Jotun form so she spun around and called out his name. You would have thought that Loki had heard a gunshot originating from the kitchen by how quickly he ran into the room. He was still in his Jotun form when he grabbed her by the shoulders and held her tightly to himself as he waited for her to collapse.

Grace giggled lightly and wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek lovingly. Then she tenderly whispered in his ear, "I am not about to collapse, Loki. But, thank you all the same. I just wanted to inform you that you are still in your Jotun form. You may unintentionally frighten Beth when you wake her."

In response, Loki kissed her on the lips once more as he phased out of his Jotun form. After they parted, Loki headed towards Beth's room and Grace turned to the stove and started to put a few pieces of bread into the French toast batter and then placed them onto the pan. Patrice walked up to her daughter cautiously and asked, "What was that?"

Grace looked at her mother questioningly and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Was it just my eyes, or did Loki turn blue?" Patrice asked again.

Grace had to think about it for a moment. Once she understood what her mother was asking, Grace smiled brightly and explained, "Loki is a Jotun. Or as they are more commonly known, a Frost Giant. That is how they appear."

"So, are my grandchildren going to look like that?" Her mother asked as she pointed an uneasy finger in Loki's direction.

Grace laughed and replied, "I am not sure."

Then, Loki returned into the kitchen and took a seat at the kitchen table. Patrice watched him closely and whispered to her daughter, "So, when he is in his 'Jotun' form, does he feel any different?"

Grace smiled and looked over into her mother's hazel eye and responded, "Yes, his skin is colder. But his heart is just as warm and loving. It is a perfect contrast."

"How much colder?" Patrice asked as she glanced over at Loki as he sat at the table.

"Why don't you ask him? I am sure he would love to show you." Grace responded.

Patrice cautiously walked over to the table and sat down across from her son-in-law. She eyed him suspiciously as he took a sip of water. Loki noticed this and asked her, "Is everything alright?"

"Grace informed me that you are a Jotun, not an Asgardian. Is this true?" Patrice asked cautiously.

"That is correct." Loki responded.

"She also told me that when you are in that form, your skin is colder." Patrice replied.

Loki smiled. He knew where this conversation was heading. "That is also true. Would you like to feel for yourself?" With that being said, Loki laid his hand on the table with his palm up so his mother-in-law could place her hand in his.

"If you do not mind." Patrice answered as she gently and warily placed her hand in his. The moment her hand was in his, his hand turned blue with darker blue lines on it. As soon as his hand changed, it also became freezing cold. Almost at the same moment, Patrice retracted her hand quickly out of his and said in shock, "That is freezing! How does Grace handle that?"

Loki smiled and glanced over at his wife for a split second and noticed that she was intently focused on her cooking. When he looked back at Patrice, he smiled and responded by saying, "I am not sure. She actually seems to enjoy my touch when I am in my Jotun form."

"Really? That is astonishing!" Patrice asked in shock. Loki nodded his head and grinned in response.

Beth then came running out of her room and into her grandmothers open arms. Grace then brought four plates with two thin pieces of French toast on each over to the table. She set one in front of each person at the table. She left again to retrieve her glass of water from the counter. When she came back to the table, she stopped in her tracks when she saw her plate. There were two extra pieces of toast on her plate.

Grace immediately looked up at Loki's plate and noticed that there was only one piece of toast on his. Someone else must have put their food on her plate as well. But she looked around and noticed that everyone else still had two slices. She knew what happened. As soon as she had turned her back, Loki had put his food on her plate and used his magic to create a hologram of one on his plate. Instead of doing anything, she sat down and began to eat her meal in silence.

After the meal, Grace gave Beth and her mother a hug then she gave Loki a kiss and she went out shopping. Due to her mother's insistence she took her credit card. Before she left the house, Loki grasped her hands tenderly in his and asked as he looked into her blue eyes, "Would you like me to come with you?"

Grace intertwined her fingers with his and took a step closer to him. She then looked up into his eyes and whispered lovingly, "Thank you for the offer, Loki. But, I am alright." She then gave him a tender kiss on the lips and left the house.

Soon after Grace left, Beth left to go to Liza's house, and Loki was left in the house with Patrice. They were seated at the table drinking coffee. Patrice looked over at him and smiled as she asked, "How long did you and Grace date before you were married?"

Loki grinned and responded, "Well, we knew each other for about a year. We got married a few months later."

"That was quick!" Patrice commented with shock clearly written on her face.

"We were in love. To me, our wedding could not come fast enough." Loki responded.

A few moments later, Patrice asked "How was the honeymoon after the wedding? Grace told me that you had to have it in your chamber and that it was only one night. Is that true?"

Loki leaned forward slightly and folded his arms on the table. "Unfortunately that is true. I would have loved to have taken her around the nine realms and watched he face light up whenever she saw the wonders that I had witnessed all my life but never appreciated until she was by my side. Besides that unfortunate fact, our honeymoon was very pleasant. After we passed a pleasurable night in my chamber, then we watched the sunrise together the following morning."

"I bet that was amazing!" Patrice responded. "Bragi spoke of the beauty of Asgard constantly."

Loki smiled and replied, "Yes, Asgard is a very beautiful realm. But, for me at least, it was not complete until Grace was there." Loki paused for a moment and the appearance of grief formed on his face. "My mother would have loved her." Loki then placed his head down in his hands and wept silently for a few moments.

As Patrice watched Loki, she was moved by his sorrow for his mother's passing. She stood up from her seat and walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a comforting embrace. They remained like this for a few moments when Patrice pulled away and sat back down in her seat. "May I ask you a question, Loki?" She asked quietly.

"Of course you can. What is on your mind?" Loki responded as he wiped a tear away from his eye.

"You do not have to answer this if you do not wish to. Alright?" Patrice commented.

Loki smiled faintly and bowed his head slightly as he replied, "Alright."

"How long ago did your mother pass on?" Patrice inquired warily.

Loki thought for a moment and then answered saying, "It was around a year and a half ago."

"So it was fairly recent. I am so sorry." She answered.

"It is alright. The events that followed her death are the ones that lead me here. I like to think that she was watching out for me and leading me after she passed." Loki said.

Patrice smiled at him and asked, "Would you like some more coffee?"

Loki grinned and responded, "I would love some, thank you."

A few minutes later, Grace came home. She was carrying a few small bags of clothes and some of food. She smiled brightly at her mother and husband who stood up to greet her. "I purchased some new clothes for you, Loki. I hope you do not mind." She said as she raised one bag in his direction.

Loki smiled tenderly and walked towards her. He gently took the bag out of her hand with one hand and he placed the other on the side of her face and whispered lovingly, "Why would I mind?"

Grace grinned shyly and looked down at the floor and blushed. In response to this, Loki smiled and kissed her forehead. He then took the bag and walked back into their room to put all of the clothes away. As Grace watched him walk away, Patrice observed how closely she was studying her husband. It was inspiring to see how much she loved him.

When Loki came back out of the bedroom, Grace walked up to him and took his hand tightly in hers and said, "I also got something else for you. Well, technically, it is for both of us. It will be here in a few minutes."

Loki smiled and gazed into her bright blue eyes and asked, "What is it?"

"It is something you told me that you missed from Asgard." Grace replied.

Loki thought for a moment and a large smile formed on his face. He intertwined his fingers with hers as he responded, "You did not have to. I rather like being close to you as we sleep."

"It is not that much bigger than the one we have now. But it will be a bit more comfortable." Grace replied as she squeezed his hand and took a step closer to Loki.

Loki whispered lovingly to her. "I will be far to captivated by your beauty to notice."

Patrice watched in silence as the two newlyweds gazed into each other's eyes adoringly. She wondered if some mysterious force had indeed led them together. Even at that, if that same force had led her to Bragi all those years ago. Was it possible that there really was a God who was leading their steps?

At that moment, while Patrice was contemplating the existence of a higher power, Loki leaned forward slightly and kissed his wife on the lips passionately. Grace was instantly filled with more intense love and adoration for him than she had ever felt before. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him all the more ardently. In response, Loki picked her up in his arms and held her close to him as they shared their undying love for each other.

Patrice watched them and almost said, 'You two can go to your room if you wish. I can manage.' But before the words could come out of her mouth, there was a knock at the door. Loki put Grace down and she walked over to the door and answered it. It was the delivery man delivering the new mattress. Grace smiled politely and ushered him in as he carried the large mattress by himself into the house.

Loki saw him struggling with the mattress so he swiftly walked up behind him and helped carry it to their room. Grace could not help but smile when she saw him assist the delivery man. He really is the kindest man she had ever met. She thought she loved him before, but when he had kissed her a few minutes ago, she was filled with such intense love and admiration that she thought she would burst with love for him. Where did that feeling go? For it had left her the moment she left his arms.

Loki was in their room with the delivery man setting the bed up when he said, "Your bed frame will not fit this new mattress, sir. Would you like to see some new ones?"

Loki smiled and answered, "I think we will be alright for now. But thank you very much for offering."

The man narrowed his dark brown eyes and asked, "You look very familiar. Are you one of the Avengers?"

Loki chuckled and responded, "No. I am not one of the Avengers. But my brother is."

The man smiled brightly and replied, "That is it. A family resemblance."

"Yep." Loki agreed.

Once the man left the house and Loki was back in the kitchen, Patrice turned to her daughter and her son-in-law and said, "You two can go test out the new mattress if you wish." There was a suggestive smile on her face as she spoke to them. She then turned and walked into the sitting room and sat down on one of the cots with a cup of coffee and a book in her hands.

Grace turned to Loki and looked up at him and asked, "What do you think? Should we?"

In response, Loki held his hand out to her, and when she took it he put her hand up to his lips and kissed it lovingly and responded, "Whatever you want to do. I am at your service."

Grace smiled and led him back to their room and shut the door quietly behind them. Once the door was shut, Loki kissed her violently on the lips and held her against the wall. After their lips parted, Loki whispered to her as his lips were about a centimeter away from hers, "I was hoping you would choose to come back into our room. I wish I could make love to you all day and night."

Grace smiled and leaned forward slightly and kissed him ardently. She was still being held against the wall as Loki phased into his Jotun form and his cold form was pressed against hers. Loki then kissed her neck and traveled down slowly. Grace's eyes remained closed as a smile rested on her face and a soft moan escaped from her lips.

Loki then picked her up in his arms and walked over to their new mattress. While Grace was still in his arms, he knelt down on the floor and laid her carefully down onto the mattress. Their lips where still locked together as Loki lay down beside her and he wrapped his arms around her tenderly.

Suddenly, Grace was filled with a burning passion and admiration for him. It was similar to what she felt earlier but far more intense. In response to this sudden feeling of devotion, she pulled out of the kiss and sat up. As Loki rolled onto his back to look up at her quizzically, Grace straddled his waist and leaned over and kissed him on the lips with more passion than ever before.

After a few moments, Grace sat up and took her shirt off then rested back down on Loki's chest. He felt her kissing his neck as he held her around the waist tightly and a low moan escaped his lips as he felt her warm lips against his cold skin. He contemplated taking his shirt off as well so he sat up as he held her tightly around the waist and pulled away from her slightly and said, "Hold on a moment, Grace."

Loki then took his shirt off revealing a cold blue scared chest. Grace looked at the scars on his chest and tears filled her eyes as she remembered how he had obtained them. Loki saw these tears and placed his cold hand on her bare left shoulder and kissed her right cheek lovingly. He then looked into her blue eyes and asked in a tender whisper, "What is wrong, darling? I thought you wanted to do this?"

Grace took a deep breath and responded with a shaky voice by saying, "With all my heart, Loki. It is just that whenever I see your scars, I am reminded of all the pain that you endured during your life."

Loki grinned lovingly and replied softly, "It is all over, Grace. But, I would happily go through it all again for you." Grace then wrapped her arms tightly around his cold neck and held him close to her as she wept lightly. Loki phased out of his Jotun form and wrapped his warm arms around her and let her cry on his shoulder.

After a few minutes, Grace asked him, "Is it alright if we postpone this for another time?"

Loki looked her in the eyes and smiled. He leaned forward and retrieved her shirt from the side of the bed and handed it to her. "Whatever you want to do, Grace." As Grace put her shirt back on, Loki did the same with his. They both remained seated side by side as they held each other close. Loki placed his hand behind her neck and pulled her towards him and kissed her on the lips gently and she responded in kind and placed her hand over his heart.

A few minutes later, Grace and Loki left the bedroom and walked hand in hand into the sitting room. Once they entered the room, Patrice put down her book and looked at them quizzically and said, "That was fast. You are finished having sex already?"

"I was not feeling it after all." Loki lied as he sat down on a cot across from his mother-in-law.

"No. That is not want happened." Grace said as she sat beside her husband and grabbed his hand. "It was my fault. I am struck by grief every time I see the scars on Loki's chest and could not hide it this time. After I started to cry, that was the end of any romantic thoughts that we had at that moment."

Patrice leaned forward slightly and asked, "Did you say that there are scares on his chest? What caused them? Given that that seeing them caused you to cry, they must be numerous and of considerable size."

Grace opened her mouth to answer, but Loki put his hand over hers and said, "I will answer this one, Grace." He leaned forward slightly and rubbed his hands together. Then, he began to speak, "When I was cast out of Asgard, I was captured by another race of creatures. They tortured me by slicing my chest with a knife. Then they would burn me with a torch. That is how I got the scars on my chest. As for their size, there is one that spans from my left hip to my right shoulder."

"Oh my goodness!"Patrice commented. "Why did they torture you?"

"They were trying to force me to invade earth." Loki responded.

"So, those actions all those years ago were not of your own accord?" Patrice asked in shock.

"Partly. I wanted to be a king, they wanted the Teseract." Loki replied.

Patrice shook her head and whispered to herself, "I wonder if everyone knew this, their perception of you would change."

"I doubt it. People believe what they want to believe." Loki answered her.

An hour later, Patrice had left and Beth was reading a book for school in the sitting room. Grace and Loki were in the sitting room as well watching Beth read her book. It was a bit chilly so she had a blanket wrapped around her. Loki and Grace had a blanket as well. They were sharing one as they sat close together and the blanket was wrapped around both of their shoulders. Grace was resting her head on his shoulder and had her eyes closed. Loki looked over at her and kissed her forehead tenderly.

Grace stirred slightly yet her eyes remained closed. Loki memorized her face yet again. She seemed to be more and more lovely every time he saw her. Her gentle features seemed to grow in beauty and her heart more affectionate with every day that passed. He raised one of his hands and gently pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. It was that moment when her eyes opened and she gazed into his affectionate green eyes and a heartfelt smile was resting on his face.

"You should probably be heading to bed, Grace. This is the second time you have fallen asleep on my shoulder." Loki whispered.

"No. I do not want to leave your side." Grace whispered back as she cuddled up closer to him while she wrapped her arms around him.

Loki chuckled slightly and responded, "You do not have to. I can carry you back to our room."

Grace looked up into his eyes and asked, "Will you stay with me?"

"I have to watch over Beth, Grace." Loki protested softly.

"Then I am not going to bed yet either." Grace replied.

Loki chuckled once again and kissed her forehead as Grace rested her head back down on his shoulder and closed her eyes once again. They sat in this state for a few hours as Beth played with her toys. Once she started to yawn, Loki said to her, "I think it is time for bed, Beth."

Beth protested but Loki shook his head and smiled at her. Beth eventually went to bed and Loki picked up Grace in his arms and carried her into their room. Loki laid her on the bed gently and draped his green cape over her. He then knelt beside her and kissed her cheek tenderly. Loki then stood up and walked out of the room to ensure that Beth was prepared for bed before he fell asleep.

When he entered her room, Loki saw that she was in her night clothes kneeling by her bedside with her hands folded and her eyes were closed as she whispered some words to herself. She was praying. It was something Grace had taught her to do when she first brought her in out of the cold. Loki smiled to himself and slowly backed out of the room and closed the door softly behind him.

Loki then returned to his room and saw that Grace was still asleep with his green cape draped over her. He then got changed into his night pants and slipped under the cape as well. Then he wrapped his arms around Grace and closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep to the sound of her breathing.

The next morning, Grace awoke to the sound of singing. She looked around the room to find the source of the music and saw Loki sitting by her side singing softly in a different tongue. His voice was soft and enthralling as he sang and Grace found herself falling in love with him all over again. Especially when she found that he was singing to the children in her womb. She reached for his hand and when she grasped it, he looked at her and smiled a warm loving smile at her and continued to sing as he squeezed her hand tenderly.

Grace leaned back against the wall as he continued to sing his song softly. She watched as his thin pale lips formed the words that he was vocalizing and the desire to lean forward and kiss him deeply on the lips formed in her innermost being. She did not care if it cut him of midsentence. Grace fought her instinct to cut him off and listened to his song instead. Her eyes were closed as she leaned against the wall with a pleasant smile on her face. His voice was enthralling as words spilled out of his lips. She found herself becoming lost in his voice the more he vocalized.

Loki looked over at her and saw that her eyes were closed as she listened to him and smiled warmly. He loved seeing that he was causing her to smile. That warm smile of hers that melted his frozen heart. Once he was done singing, Grace opened her blue eyes and whispered, "That was beautiful, Loki."

Loki grinned and responded as he leaned against the wall beside her, "Thank you, Grace. That was an accent Asgardian lullaby."

Grace turned to her side and gazed deeply into his eyes and smiled as she asked, "Did your mother sing it to you?"

Loki looked in her eyes and answered her by saying, "Yes. Yes she did." Loki then gazed down at the bed in sorrow as he recalled his mother singing to him.

Grace saw this and placed her hand gently on the side of his face and whispered lovingly, "I am sorry, Loki. I did not mean to bring up a sorrowful memory."

Loki grabbed her hand and tenderly kissed the heel of her hand and looked into her eyes and responded, "I know you did not mean to." Loki's arm was wrapped around her and he was tracing hearts on her back unknowingly to himself.

At that moment, Grace threw herself into his arms and kissed him ardently on the lips. She rested on his bare chest as they shared a tender passionate kiss with each other. Loki placed his hand affectionately on the back of her head as he continued to kiss her. Grace rested her hands on his chest as she kissed him back. After the kiss ended, Grace still lay on top of him while she rested her head on his chest.

Loki wrapped his arms around Grace and wondered if it was possible that she would want to go for a walk through the park today. Before he could ask, there was a knock at the door. Closely following the knock was a voice calling in saying, "Grace, Loki, if you are awake and you can hear me, do not worry about caring for Beth today. I am going to take her to the fall festival. You have about three hours before we get back."

Grace answered by saying, "Alright, mother. Thank you."

There were footsteps receding from the bedroom door. As soon as the front door was heard closing Grace sat up and looked down at Loki and asked, "What would you like to do?"

"How about we have breakfast?" Loki answered with a smile on his face.

"We have some left over French toast from yesterday in the fridge. Would you like some of that?" Grace asked.

"Maybe later." Loki paused for a moment. Then he said seductively "I would like to have you right now though."

Grace smiled and lay back down on his chest and kissed him romantically on the lips. Loki phased into his Jotun form as he kissed her back and he sat up slowly. Grace was seated on his lap once more as they shared their love for each other. She felt his frozen lips upon hers along with his frigid hands on her back and she shivered with excitement as she anticipated making love to him.

Loki felt her shiver, so he pulled away from her slightly and asked, "Is everything alright, Grace? Would you like me to phase back?"

Grace smiled at him and responded, "Everything is alright, Loki. I am just excited. You can phase back if you desire to. I do not mind either way."

Loki smiled and kissed her warmly on the lips and phased out of his Jotun form. He felt Grace reach down and begin to slowly lift her shirt over her head. Loki watched as she threw her shirt over to the other side of the bed. She then rested her bare chest on his and kissed his lips tenderly. Loki leaned back onto the mattress and allowed his wife to kiss his neck and chest. Grace was on top of him as she kissed his lips and ran her hands through his hair.

Loki was filled with love as he felt her kisses like tender flower pedals falling on his skin. In response to this, he wrapped his arms tenderly around Grace's waist and ran his hands up her back and rested them on her shoulder blades. He closed his green eyes and a soft low moan escaped his lips as Grace slowly kissed his neck with her warm full lips.

Upon hearing this, Grace grinned and sat up. She looked down at Loki and saw that he was looking up at her with adoration in his bright eyes. Grace straddled his waist and sat down. She then leaned forward and kissed him lovingly on the lips. Loki kissed his pregnant wife back as he ran his hands over her bare back and pulled her closer to him. They then began to make tender love to each other for the first time on their new mattress.

About an hour later, Grace and Loki were fully dressed and were seated in the kitchen with a glass of water as they held each other's hand tightly. Grace was resting her head on his shoulder as Loki softly spoke to her about the wonders of Asgard. A gentle smile rested on her face as she listened to him whispering tenderly to her in his enchanting voice. Her bright blue eyes remained closed as she leaned on his sturdy shoulder.

Loki looked down at her and smiled as he witnessed the pleasant smile on his wife's face as she listened to him speak. He found himself wishing that they could spend all day in this manner but he knew that they could not. He watched as Grace snuggled up to him as he spoke about Asgard and other things.

After a few minutes passed in this fashion, Loki looked down at Grace and asked gently, "Would you like to go for a walk in the park today?"

Grace opened her eyes and looked up at him adoringly. She smiled brightly and a voice like velvet poured out of her lips when she said, "I would love that."

A few minutes later, Loki and Grace were walking in the park together. Their fingers were intertwined with each other's and Grace was starting to waddle as she walked with her cane. Loki watched her shuffle by his side and he smiled. She was truly the most beautiful person he had ever met. The simple fact that she willingly broke through the wall that he had built up to protect himself and tried so desperately to defend made her even lovelier!

They came to a bench and they both sat down and observed the falling florescent leaves that covered the ground. The birds were singing softly in the trees as Grace laid her head down on Loki's shoulder once again and closed her eyes. In response to this, Loki wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead tenderly. He then stroked her forehead tenderly and asked in a soft whisper, "Are you feeling alright, Grace? Your forehead is a bit warm."

Grace responded by saying quietly, "My forehead may be warm, but the rest of me is freezing."

Loki then pulled her in closer to him and wrapped his arms around her tightly. Her entire body was boiling hot. He kissed her forehead and stood up and said to her, "Come, Grace. I think you should get back inside."

Grace frowned and said with sorrow clear in her voice, "Do we have to? We were having such a good time."

Loki smiled and replied, "Yes, Grace. I believe you have fallen ill. I do not want you to get any worse, especially with you being pregnant."

"I suppose you are correct. Will you carry me, please?" Grace asked as she stretched her arms out for him.

Loki grinned and squatted down and scooped her up in his arms and held her tightly to him as he began the short walk back to the house with Grace in his arms. "You should know that you do not have to ask, my dear." He whispered affectionately in her ear as they went back to their home.

Once they reached their home, Loki opened the front door using his magic and he could tell almost instantly that something was wrong. He held Grace tightly to his chest as he wandered through the house searching for what had caused the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up. He walked from the sitting room to the kitchen and could not see anything out of place. Yet the feeling of vulnerability still remained.

Loki gripped Grace all the tighter the further he ventured into the house. A strong fierce expression formed on his face as he searched for something that could not be found. Grace could feel her husband's anxiety as he wandered throughout the house. He was holding her so close to his chest that she thought she may just melt into him. Would that not be amazing? Then she would never have to be parted from him.

As Loki searched all of the rooms and found nothing, he relaxed and sat down on the wooden bench with Grace still held tightly in his arm. There was a blanket draped over Grace who was curled up on his lap resting her head over his heart. His arms where wrapped around her as he kissed her forehead tenderly.

Suddenly, Grace grabbed his shirt and pulled on it slightly. Loki looked in to her eyes and saw a terrified expression on her face. Then, she started to tremble and convulse as she lay in his arms. A combination of hot and cold sweet poured out of her forehead as her entire body stiffened and went limb in intervals.

Loki held her close to him as she trembled for a full hour and a half. Once she relaxed, Grace looked up at him and smiled, "I am so glad that you are here with me, Loki. If you were not, who knows what would have become of me."

Loki smiled and responded softly, "You would have carried on."

"I disagree with you, Loki." Grace said as she looked up at him and shivered. "I fear I may have given up all together if you had not shown up."

A sorrowful expression grew on Loki's face as he responded by saying, "You of all people cannot give up. You have helped so many people without a care for yourself."

Grace smiled slightly and cuddled up closer to him as she responded, "Thanks to you, I no longer feel the need to give up." Upon hearing this, Loki kissed her forehead and held her tightly to himself. "Loki, why is everything so cold? Please hold me closer."

In response to her request, Loki pulled her boiling hot body closer to himself and he contemplated phasing into his Jotun form to help cool her down."Grace?" He asked tenderly.

"What is it, Loki?" Grace asked as she rested her head on his chest with her blue eyes closed.

"I think you have a fever. Do you mind if I draw you a bath of cold water?" Loki asked gently.

Grace looked up at him and smiled. "That would be very nice. Thank you."

Loki grinned and stood up. He walked towards the bathroom and started to fill the bath tub. Grace followed him into the bathroom and watching him fill the bathtub with cold water. She leaned against the threshold with the blanket still wrapped around her shoulders and watched as he sat on the edge of the tub and made sure the water was chilly enough. She wondered for the thousandth time how she was granted the great honor of meeting him.

Once the bathtub was full of icy cold water, Loki turned to Grace and asked, "Are you ready?" He then stretched out his hand and she accepted it gratefully. After she was undressed, Loki helped her into the tub.

The water was supposed to be frigid, but it felt boiling hot. Grace looked up at Loki and smiled. He smiled back at her and asked, "How is the water?"

"It is a bit hot." Grace answered as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Really?" Loki asked confused. He dipped his hand in the water and it was freezing. "Grace, the water is not hot. It is actually quite frigid. Perhaps you are more feverish then I originally thought."

"Maybe if you joined me in your Jotun form it might help." Grace suggested as she gazed into his eyes.

Loki smiled and complied with her wishes. He got undressed and phased into his Jotun form as he got into the bath tub with Grace. He pulled her close to him and felt her burning hot body against his icy form. Tears began to stream down his face as he held her tightly to himself. She felt one of his tears fall on her shoulder and it felt like a drop of liquid fire. Because of this, she flinched slightly as soon as it landed on her shoulder.

As a result, Loki pulled away slightly and asked, "How are you feeling?"

Grace smiled and responded, "Better. Thank you for joining me."

Confused, Loki asked, "Why did you flinch?"

"I flinched because I felt a sting on my shoulder. It is nothing to worry about though." Grace responded.

"Sorry." Loki said as he looked down into the water of the bath. "That was me. I started to cry."

Grace pulled out of the embrace completely and looked him in the face and saw that he had a tear trail running down the left side of his face. She put her wet hand on the side of his face and Loki leaned his head into her hand. He also put his hand over hers and gazed into her eyes. Loki then asked her, "Do you think I may be able to freeze the germs out of you?"

"How would you do that?" Grace asked.

"It may be a bit awkward at first. I will kiss you and you will breathe in deeply. As you are inhaling, I will exhale my cold breath into your mouth." Loki explained. He watched as Grace considered his proposal and wondered what was going through her head.

Finally, after waiting what seemed like a life time, Grace replied, "You do realize that if this does not work, you may get this virus as well."

"I am willing to try if you are." Loki responded. "Just so you know: I have never gotten sick a day in my life." He added as he winked at her.

Grace giggled lightly and said, "Alright."

Loki leaned forward and kissed her on the lips and wrapped his arms around her tightly pulling her closer to him. As he was doing so, Grace kissed him back and placed her hands on his shoulders as she tried desperately to breathe as he had asked. This time, there was so much passion and love in his kiss that it actually took her breath away.

Even though Grace was not doing what they discussed, Loki still exhaled into her mouth a few times. She could tell that it was working because she was beginning to feel his frigid embrace along with the chilly water that surrounded them. But all she could think about was him. Her mind was filled with emotions as he continued to kiss her and exhale into her mouth. His cold breath was refreshing and revitalizing. His kiss was like nothing she had ever experienced in her life!

Loki realized that Grace was not inhaling so he continued to breathe into her as they kissed. Little did he know that he had actually taken her breath away with his passion. After a few breathes, he pulled away slightly and said, "Grace, you have to breathe or this is not going to work."

Grace smiled slightly and responded, "I am sorry. You just took my breath away."

Loki grinned and pulled her closer to him and she sat on his lap as their lips where locked in an ardent kiss. Grace felt his freezing hands resting on her back as he held her close to him. A soft moan escaped her lips when she felt him kiss her neckline and he placed his icy hand behind her neck as he continued to caress her throat with soft romantic kisses with his frigid blue lips.

"Just so you know, Loki." Grace began. "I do not feel ill anymore. You helped me get better. Thank you."

Loki smiled brightly and placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her into a tight embrace. He then whispered lovingly into her ear, "Let us just remain in here for a little while longer. Just to make sure you are indeed no longer ill."

Grace smiled and looked into his red eyes and responded, "Of course, Loki. We can stay here as long as you like." After she had finished speaking, he pulled her into a loving embrace and his entire bare Jotun form was against her naked body. Grace grinned and wrapped her arms tighter around him. Loki then began to kiss her bare shoulder romantically and Grace closed her eyes as she relished the feel of his icy lips on her skin. Grace felt the muscles in his arms contract as he pulled her closer to him so he could continue to caress her with tender kisses. She loved feeling Loki's movements as he was close to her.

They remained in this manner for a few more minutes when Loki said, "We should really get going, Grace. Your mother may return with Beth from the fair soon."

"Operative word being 'may'. I do not want to leave your side until it is absolutely necessary." Grace responded breathlessly.

Loki smiled slightly as he pulled Grace tighter to himself. As they sat there in the tub of freezing water, time seemed to stop in its tracks. Loki felt her frame against his and her pregnant womb was pressed up against his stomach. Feeling her womb and remembering that she was carrying his children stirred up a protective instinct in him. He had to get her out of the cold and into the warm sheets that were just put onto their bed that morning.

He then stood up and excited the tub and wrapped a towel around his waist. Loki then grabbed another towel and held it open for Grace to enter it so he could wrap her up nice and secure. Grace grinned and stood and entered the open towel that was waiting for her. As soon as she was close enough, Loki reached forward and wrapped the towel around her and picked her up in his arm. As he departed the bathroom and headed for the bedroom, he phased out of his Jotun form and he held his wife close to his white scared chest.

Grace leaned against his chilled chest and listened to his strong heartbeat as he confidently strode towards their bedroom with his wife in his arms. Grace was so comfortable in his arm that she never wanted to be set down. Loki loved having her in his arms. He could tell that she enjoyed being held close to him by the contented look on her face. He looked down at her and smiled when he noticed that it appeared as if she was falling asleep in his arms.

Grace was indeed falling asleep. She was completely comfortable in Loki's embrace and the rhythm of his heartbeat was similar to that of a lullaby. His strong stride was comforting her even more than usual for it almost seemed as if he was rocking her in his arms. Loki was in fact in their room already and he was seated on their bed rocking her in his arms gently. He then began to hum softly under his breath and it relaxed Grace even more.

A few moments later, Grace fell asleep and Loki laid her gently on the bed under the covers. He then got dressed and when he exited the room he looked back at Grace and saw that she was sleeping soundly. He smiled and closed the door softly behind him.

When he excited the room he entered the sitting room with a book in his hands. He sat down and opened it to the first page and began to read. A few minutes later, the front door opened and Beth came running into the room. Loki looked up from his book and smiled when he saw her rushing towards him with an elated smile on her face. He put down his book and opened his arms for Beth to run into.

When Beth was in his arms, he wrapped her in a tight loving embrace and kissed her cheek tenderly. Patrice stood by the threshold to the sitting room and smiled when she saw Loki wrap her grandchild in a loving embrace. She then noticed that her daughter was not in the room. Ever since Grace had married Loki, they were near inseparable. Had something happened?

Patrice approached Loki cautiously and stopped when she was ten steps away from him. He saw her walking up to him carefully, so he put Beth down and directed his attention to his mother-in-law and asked, "Is everything alright, Patrice?"

"Yes, I am just wondering were Grace is." Patrice responded.

Loki grinned slightly and replied, "Grace has fallen ill. She is sleeping in our room."

"Oh... Would it be alright if I woke her to inform her that Beth and I have returned?" Patrice asked.

Loki smiled brightly and responded, "She would like that very much."

A few minutes later, Patrice entered the bedroom and saw Grace sleeping soundly under the covers. She knelt down beside the mattress that was still lying on the floor and placed her hand gently on Grace's shoulder. She stirred and looked up into her mother's eyes and smiled. "Hello, mother. Have you and Beth returned from the fair already?"

"Yes, Grace. We have returned. Loki informed me that you are sick, so I came in to see you." Patrice replied.

Grace smiled drowsily and responded, "Thank you."

Patrice smiled and said, "No problem, Grace. Get your rest." With that said, she kissed her daughter on the forehead and exited the room.


	17. Someone Like You

The next morning, Grace awoke next to her husband who was still asleep as he lay on his back. Loki was wearing his night pants with a black night shirt that she had gotten for him the day before. She was still wearing the towel from the cold bath that he had given her yesterday. As she watched him breath, an intense feeling of love formed in her innermost being and she wanted to wake him with a gentle kiss on the lips.

Loki's chest kept rising and falling as she laid there and watched him sleep. A pleasant smile formed on Grace's features as she studied his face and noticed that there was an appearance of tenderness to it that she had never noticed before. His pale cheeks had a slight rosy tinge to them as he softly breathed in and out beside her. His coal black hair was now shoulder length once again and she could not help but reach her hand out and stroke the side of his face gently with the backs of her fingers.

Loki stirred slightly but he did not awaken, but rather he just turned to face her. Grace glanced down at his thin lips and considered the idea of awakening him with a kiss once again as she bit her lower lip. She then placed her right hand over his heart and leaned forward and kissed him tenderly on the lips. Loki moaned with pleasure as he placed his right hand over hers and kissed her back lovingly. Once Grace pulled away, she saw that his affectionate green eyes were opened and were gazing into hers. There was a loving smile on his face as he whispered, "Good morning to you as well, my love."

Grace smiled and responded in a tender whisper, "What would you like to do today? Would you like to go to the fair?"

Loki thought for a moment then replied, "Personally, I would like to stay home with you today." He then leaned forward and kissed his wife on the lips romantically as his arms wound around her towel clad waist. He then rolled onto his back and Grace lay on his chest as they remained locked in a adoring kiss. His hands rested on her thin waist and pulled her closer to him. Grace ran her fingers through his hair as she rested softly on his chest.

After they parted, Grace laid her head on his chest and listened to his strong heartbeat. Loki rested his hand protectively on her shoulder as he felt her laying her sweet head on his chest. As they laid there, both reluctant to leave, he ran his hand up and down her bare arm slowly as he tried to warm her because she was still a bit chilly.

Grace, however, did not realize that this is why her husband was running his hand up and down her arm. Nevertheless, she cuddled up closer to him with a content smile resting on her face. When she did this, Loki smiled brightly and pulled her closer to him. After a few minutes, he parted his lips and a soft voice issued forth when he asked, "Could you cut my hair today, Grace?"

With her eyes closed, Grace responded, "Of course. How much do you want me to cut off?"

Loki thought for a moment and then replied, "About three and a half inches."

Her eyes shot open and as she sat up. Grace gazed down at him and said, "That is a lot. Are you certain that you want that much cut off?"

Loki looked up at her and responded, "Yes I am. I almost got recognized because of my long hair."

Grace smiled slightly and replied, "Yes, Loki. I will cut your hair today. But you should not worry about people recognizing you. You are not the same person you were then. Anyone that says otherwise is looking to be harmed."

"Who would harm them?" Loki asked as he furrowed his eyebrows.

"I would, of course." Grace answered slightly irritated.

Loki chuckled lightly and sat up. He was seated beside Grace when he ran his long fingers through her messy brown hair. As he gazed into her bright blue eyes adoringly, he whispered affectionately, "What would I do without you?"

Grace smiled and whispered back, "You would be completely fine."

Loki scoffed lightly and responded, "I highly doubt it, Grace. You are the only one who has ever seen through the wall I built around my heart. You broke it down with a single touch of your hand. And with one kiss, you left me utterly defenseless. I cannot and will not fight you. You can have your way with me. I am yours unreservedly."

There was so much affection and adoration in his voice that Grace could not control herself. She reached forward and grabbed him by the back of the head and pulled him towards her as she rushed forward and kissed him desperately on the lips. Loki raised his eyebrows when she first kissed him, but after a few moments, the shock wore off and he kissed her back and added more admiration to it. He then placed his hand on her back and pulled her closer as he inhaled deeply.

Grace then sat on his lap and pulled him closer to her. They shared their love for each other with an ardent kiss as they both sat up for a few minutes. Loki then began to slowly lean back and Grace followed him down onto the bed. Once he was lying on his back, she rested gently on his chest and ran her fingers through his hair once again as they sustained the ardent kiss. Loki moved his hands onto her back and felt her begin to pull away.

Loki opened his eyes and watched as his wife took off the towel that was wrapped around her and dropped it on the side of the bed. He ran his eyes over her undraped form and they came to rest on her womb. A smile spread across his face when he thought of her carrying his unborn children. Grace then leaned forward and kissed him on the lips once again. But this time, there was an added amount of devotion in her kiss that he had never in his entire life experienced before. It took him off guard and he froze for a moment while Grace continued to caress the side of his face with soft kisses.

Before he knew it, Grace had begun to kiss his neck and was starting to lift his shirt over his head slowly. In order to help her, Loki sat up and raised his arms over his head as his wife lifted it off. He then lay back down on his back as his wife rested her bare chest on his. She kissed him affectionately on the lips as she rested her hands behind his head. Loki kissed her back and he ran his hands tenderly down her back and rested them on her thin waist.

In response to this, Grace pulled out of the kiss but still remained an inch away from kissing him again. They gazed into each other's eyes for a few minutes and she whispered sweetly, "I love you more then you could ever comprehend, Loki. I never want to be separated from you."

Loki smiled and kissed her softly on the lips and replied, "We never will be, Grace. Unless you decide to be."

"That will never happen." Grace responded tenderly as she placed her hand over his heart and kissed him devotedly on the lips.

Loki smiled slightly but there was a pang of sorrow that rose in his heart. He knew from his past experiences that no one has ever kept their promises to him. But, Grace was different. She was the only one who had stayed by his side and was comfortable in his presence. She was even comfortable enough to fall asleep in his arms. Putting this out of mind, Loki pulled her closer to himself and sat up as their lips remained locked in a fervent kiss.

Grace was seated on his lap with her legs wrapped behind him as she ran her hands through his hair and she kissed his lips ardently. Loki held her close to him as he kissed her back. Their eyes were closed as they shared their undying love with each other with an adoring kiss.

As Grace was still in his arms, Loki began to kiss her neck and she leaned her head back as a satisfied sigh escaped her lips. He then caressed her jaw line with gentle kisses as a content smile grew on her face. Grace leaned back onto the bed and her husband followed her down while his lips were in the process of stroking her collarbone.

Once Grace was lying on her back, Loki kissed her chest and traveled down to her womb. Once he reached her womb, he stopped for a quick moment like he had forgotten that she was pregnant with his children. He then put his hands tenderly on either side of her womb and kissed it twice even more gently than ever before. It was almost as if he was giving the children who were yet to be born a kiss of the forehead. This caused Grace to fall even more in love with him then before if that were even possible. So she placed her hands on his shoulders and ran them down his bare back.

Grace then whispered to her husband, "Loki, do you think we have time to make love to each other before we start our daily tasks?"

In response, Loki stopped kissing her stomach and looked up at her face and smiled lovingly. As the smile was painted on his face, he slowly crawled up and kissed her deeply on the lips. Grace enfolded her arms around his neck and returned the kissed and added more fervor to it as she wrapped her legs around his hips. An hour and a half later, he began to make passionate love to his wife.

Close to two hours later, Loki and Grace were lying on the bed together enclosed in each other's arms as they both breathed heavily. His bed clothes were on the floor beside the bed as he held his wife's undraped form close to his. He rested his head on her bare chest as Loki breathed her in with a content smile on his face. The towel that Grace was wrapped in as she slept was on the floor on the opposite side of the bed that his clothes were.

They remained in this fashion for a few minutes when Grace broke the silence and said softly, "That was amazing, Loki. I have never in my life experienced anything like that. Thank you."

Loki grinned and looked up at her and noticed that her bright blue eyes were glimmering in the dim light of the early morning as she gazed down at him. He ran his hand through her hair and responded in a tender whisper, "It is simple when my partner is a beautiful as you are, Grace." He then sat up slightly and put his hand gently under her chin and brought her lips up to his and kissed them affectionately.

After they parted and their lips were no more than a centimeter away from each other, Loki continued speaking, "Plus, it helps that I am hopelessly," He kissed Grace's neck, "deliriously," He kissed her neck again, but this time on the other side, "deeply," he kissed her neck yet again, "ardently," he continued to kiss her neck and traveled down to her shoulders as he kept switching sides as he spoke, "fervently in love with the woman I am making love to."

Grace was still lying on her back breathing heavily as her husband spoke to her and caressed her neck with soft kisses. She closed her eyes and smiled as Loki kissed her left shoulder. Before she knew it, she was yearning to kiss him back and a mixture of passion and pleasure was rushing through her veins as he continued to kiss her arm with his soft lips. Yet, she could not move.

He was in the process of stroking her upper arm when she looked out the minuscule window on the east wall and noticed that the sun was almost over the shorter buildings on the outskirts of the city. "Loki," Grace said breathlessly, "We really should get out of bed and start the day. Beth will be getting up for school in a few minutes."

Without even looking up at her, Loki responded, "Not yet, darling. I am not finished kissing you yet."

Grace closed her eyes and replied, "If that is the case, we will never get out of bed." She smiled brightly and continued speaking, "For I could kiss you until the end of my days and still not be finished."

Loki smiled as he kissed her inner elbow and said, "Sounds good to me."

Grace giggled lightly and remained silent as Loki began to kiss her lower arm slowly and adoringly with his frigid lips. It seemed as if he was attempting to caress every inch of her arm as he traveled down to her hand. Once he reached her wrist, Loki picked up her arm tenderly in his grasp and kissed her wrist passionately. He then sat up as he held her wrist to his lips with his eyes closed. As she watched him, she could have sworn that tears had begun to form in his eyes when he caught a glimpse of his Jotun skin.

In response to this, Grace sat up as well and took her wrist out of his grasp. Loki opened his eyes and she noticed that his red eyes had indeed begun to water. She then pulled him into a tight embrace and allowed him to rest his head on her chest. As she pulled him closer to her, he begin to sob. She did not question, because she already knew what was causing him to grieve.

A year ago on this date, Loki was close to tears as he explained that it was the anniversary of when he found out who he truly was. Grace was shocked that this would bother him as much as it did at first but once she saw the appearance of grief upon his face, she was moved with sympathy and wrapped him in a tender understanding embrace and allowed him to cry on her shoulder.

After a few minutes, Grace pulled out of the embrace and placed one of her lily like hands on his icy scared bare shoulder and the other on the side of his frigid blue face as she looked deeply into his distressed red eyes. She smiled and whispered tenderly, "Guess what, Loki?"

Loki sniffed and responded, "What?"

Grace then placed both of her hands on either side of his face as she smiled softly and replied, "I love you. No matter what happens, my affections for you will never change."

In response to this, Loki kissed her on the lips passionately as she sat by his side. Grace kissed him back and ran her fingers through his shoulder length black hair again. He lifted her up in his arms slightly and placed her on his lap as he sustained the ardent kiss. She then sat up on her knees and was slightly above him as she continued to kiss him fervently. Her bare chest was pressed up against his as he placed his frigid hands on her back and pulled her closer. Her pregnant womb was pushing into his chest and it was slightly painful, but he hardly noticed.

Loki was in his Jotun form and his icy lips were interlocked with her warm lips. Grace smiled and kissed him harder as her hands rested behind his head. He allowed her to have her way with him as their lips parted and she began to kiss his frigid blue neck. His eyes were closed as he relished the feel of her warm lips on his frozen skin once again. A low moan escaped his lips as Grace kissed his throat.

They lost track of time as they shared their love for each other and before they knew it, a knock sounded at the door. Grace pulled away from her husband and she rested her hands on his bare shoulders as she called out, "Who is it?"

A feminine voice responded, "It is Jane. I fed Beth breakfast and I am about to walk her to school."

"Thank you, Jane." Grace responded.

Footsteps where then heard receding from the doorway to their room and Grace turned her attention back to Loki. He was gazing up at her with adoration in his bright red eyes and his frigid blue hands where on her lower back holding her close to him. She smiled and whispered seductively, "Do you know what this means?" Loki shook his head in response and his wife leaned forward and whispered in his ear with a sultry tone in her voice, "This means that we can stay in here longer." She then sat back down on his lap and kissed him affectionately on the lips. He kissed her back as he slowly leaned back onto the bed and she rested on his chest as she continued to kiss his frigid blue lips passionately. Loki placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed her back as he added more affection to the kiss. Grace sat up and repositioned herself on top of him then leaned back down and kissed him ardently on the lips as she ran her hands through his hair. She then began to make love to him.

An hour later, Grace laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes as her entire form was resting on his. Loki had his left hand relaxing on her back and his right hand was resting on her head tenderly as he closed his eyes as well. She listened to his rapid heartbeat as she laid her head over his heart as he observed her breathing. It was slightly raged and was a bit heavy as she exhaled. Was it possible that she was falling ill once again? Was it his presence that was ailing her?

At this thought, Loki phased out of his Jotun form and kissed her warmly on the top of the head. Grace groaned slightly and asked, "Why did you phase out of you Jotun form, Loki?"

"Because, I think it is time to get started on our day." Loki responded. There was a hint of melancholy in his voice as he spoke and Grace heard it.

"I think I am going to take a quick nap first." Grace replied and she did not move off of his chest. The only thing she moved was her head as she looked up at him and smiled.

"We really should get moving, Grace." Loki answered with the same note of distress in his voice as he spoke.

Grace placed her hands on his chest and leaned up slightly. She then looked deep into his eyes and asked, "Are you still thinking about what happened all those years ago?"

Loki looked up into her eyes and thought for a moment. His first instinct was to lie and say yes, but he knew that she would be able to tell that he had lied. So he decided to tell the truth, but only part of it, "I am just worried about you."

Grace smiled and responded, "That is not the whole truth, but I will take it. One more kiss and then we can get up." Loki then kissed her on the lips quickly then he pulled away. It lasted for about two seconds. Grace smiled and shook her head slightly and said, "You call that a kiss?" She then leaned forward and kissed him passionately on the lips as she ran her hands through his hair once again.

Loki, forgetting his concern for her heath for the moment, sat up and held her close to him as he kissed her back. Grace enfolded her fingers behind his head as she inhaled deeply at the same time he did. He then picked her up in his arms as he leaned forward and laid her down on her back gently. Her head was just at the edge of the mattress as he began to kiss her neck. Grace moaned softly as she felt his thin lips against her skin once again. When Loki heard this, he kissed her more passionately on the neck.

Loki then kissed her chest and felt her wrap her legs around his waist. He smiled as he looked up and saw that pleasure was written all over her face. Grace's eyes were closed as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head down to hers and kissed his lips tenderly. In response, he placed his hands on the bed beside her and kissed her back with more passion then she had ever experienced before. They then began to make love to each other for the third time that morning.

Two and a half hours later, Loki and Grace excited their bedroom and entered the kitchen. She prepared a meal for herself and her husband as he sat at the table and watched her glide about the room. She was wearing the green shirt that he had given her when she left Asgard and a long black skirt over her brace as she put two thin slices of bread into the toaster. Loki was wearing dark blue jeans and a grey v-neck t-shirt as he observed her graceful form preparing a meal.

He was about to go up to her and ask if she needed help when Jane entered the room and sat across the table from him. Her shoulder length brown hair was hanging loosely and her hazel eyes glimmered as she smiled at Loki. He smiled back at her and asked politely, "How are you today, Jane?"

Jane smiled even brighter as she responded, "I am great. How are you?"

Loki shrugged his shoulders and replied, "I cannot complain."

"What? You and Grace had sex for at least two hours. I would think you would be feeling elated." Jane answered in shock.

Grace jumped in and inquired, "How do you know what we were doing, Jane?" She stood beside Loki and rubbed her pregnant womb unknowingly with one hand as the other rested on her husband's shoulder.

Jane smiled again and responded, "I could hear you. It must have been pleasurable because, let me tell you, you both got loud. Good thing Beth was not here or she would have been worried about you both."

Both Grace and Loki looked down at the ground in shame. "Sorry about that." Loki said after a few minutes.

"What is there to be sorry about? You love each other. But, to the next time, could you please keep it down a bit? And be careful, you do not want to crush the babies." Jane commented as she took a sip of coffee that Grace had brought to the table for her. Both Grace and Loki grinned in shame and nodded their heads slowly.

"Oh." Grace said after a few moments of silence. "Jane, did you bring your scissors? Loki would like me to cut his hair today."

"When did he make that request? In between kisses?" Jane asked.

"He asked me this morning a few minutes after we woke up." Grace answered as she placed her hand tenderly on Loki's shoulder.

"Before you two…" Jane trailed off when she saw her friend nodding her head. "Wow. That is impressive. I would be lucky if I could even remember my own name after that. Wow." As she spoke, she grabbed her purse and rooted around in it for her scissors for a few minutes. She then pulled a pair of silver scissors out of her purse and handed them to Grace.

Grace thanked her and turned to Loki and asked, "Would you like to get this done now, or wait until later?"

Loki smiled and stood up from his seat and pulled the chair that he was seated in into the center of the kitchen. He then sat down and responded, "I am ready whenever you are."

Grace smiled and began to run her fingers through his hair. Loki felt her touch on the back of his head and closed his eyes as he relished the feel of her fingers running through his hair once more. As she cut his hair, he accidentally let out a low sigh of contentment and she smiled while continuing her task as she fought the intense urge to kiss him right there. After she had finished cutting his hair to the length he requested, she walked in front of him and noticed that his eyes were still closed as if he was locked in a state of ecstasy.

Grace glanced over in Jane's direction and noticed that her friend was in the sitting room with a book and her coffee. She then looked back at Loki and saw that his eyes were still closed and a warm smile was painted on his features. She straddled his lap and sat down then placed her right hand behind his head and brought his lips over to hers.

The moment that her lips came in contact with his, Grace kissed him deeply and ardently while Loki wrapped his arms around her. One of his hands was resting between her shoulder blades and the other was on her lower back. When they parted a few minutes later, Loki gazed adoringly into her eyes and asked, "What was that for?"

Grace smiled and responded, "Do I need a reason to show you how much I love you?"

Loki smiled brightly at her and placed his hand behind her head and slowly led her back into a passionate kiss. Time seemed to move in slow motion as they shared their love for each other. Their lips moved in sync with each other's as their eyes remained closed and their hearts raced in time with the others.

Loki then phased into his Jotun form and his frigid lips were kissing hers tenderly. Grace felt his freezing chest against hers and kissed him all the more violently. He smiled and pulled away slightly and whispered as their eyes remained closed, "Grace, calm down. You are behaving as if I never held you in my Jotun form before."

Grace smiled as well and responded in a soft whisper, "I am just overtaken with my love for you, Loki." She then kissed him once more, but this time, there was a hint more desire then before. He kissed her back and felt as she pulled herself closer to him and her growing womb pressed up against his stomach once again.

After a few minutes, a voice was heard behind them saying, "You two can go back to your room if you wish to." It was Jane. She was standing at the threshold of the kitchen and had an elated smile on her face as her arms were crossed at her chest.

Surprised, both Grace and Loki looked back at her with a blank look on their faces for a few moments. Then, he smiled and responded, "Thank you for the offer, but no. We are just expressing our love for each other."

"Honestly," Jane added as she took a tentative step into the kitchen. "That kiss looked like a lot more than that."

Grace smiled and replied to her friend sweetly, "As Loki said, we were just expressing our love for each other."As she was speaking, Grace placed her hands on his shoulders and ran them down his back under his shirt and smiled warmly at Jane.

Loki had to force himself not to moan as her loving hands traveled down his back and stopped just below his shoulder blades. Forgetting that Jane was standing directly behind him, he began to kiss her neck as she spoke to her friend in response to her hands on his back. Grace smiled as she felt his lips against her skin and closed her eyes. After Jane left to head back into the sitting room she whispered in her husband's ear, "We really should get moving, Loki."

"Not yet, Grace." Loki responded as he continued to caress her throat with tender kisses. "I want to hold you in my arms awhile longer." Grace obliged him and sat on his lap as he held her close to him and continued to kiss her neck and upper chest slowly. Suddenly, one of the children in Grace's womb kicked. He must have felt it as well for he jumped and pulled away slightly and looked down at her womb and smiled. He whispered, "There is no need to be jealous." He leaned forward and kissed her womb twice then he began to stroke her stomach with his long frigid fingers as if he was caressing their children. Then, as his lips were just centimeters away from kissing her womb once again, he whispered softly, "I hope you know that your father loves you both very much."

"They do, Loki." Grace whispered tenderly. "They heard you singing to them the other day. I am sure they loved it." Loki sat back up and wrapped his arms around her and kissed her affectionately on the lips. After their lips parted a few minutes later, he pulled her into a tight embrace. They remained in this fashion few minutes and Grace never wanted it to end. But, sadly, it did and Loki gently pushed her off of his lap.

Once she was standing on her feet in front of him, Loki stood from his seat and phased out of his Jotun form while he took her right hand in his and tenderly raised it to his lips and bowed low as he kissed her hand. Once he was standing up right, he gazed into her blue eyes and whispered, "You and our children are my life. There is nothing that I would not do for my family." As he spoke to her in a soft whisper, he moved his warm hand up her arm and rested it on the side of her neck.

Grace answered breathlessly, "What about Beth?"

Loki smiled as he gazed longingly into her blue eyes, "She is one of my children, Grace. Even though I did not sire her, I love her the same." Grace then pulled him into a tight embrace and rested her head on his chest and listened to his strong heartbeat. Loki placed his head down on her shoulder and sighed with contentment.

At that moment, Patrice walked into the room and stopped in her tracks the moment she saw her daughter and son-in-law standing in the middle of the kitchen wrapped in each other's arms. What just happened? She missed something. That much was certain by the look of happiness on Grace's face. She stepped into the sitting room and saw Jane sitting there and walked up to her and asked, "What just happened?"

Jane smiled and said, "In their words, they were just 'expressing their love for each other'. But that is not how I would put it."

Patrice was confused; it certainly looked like they were showing their love for each other with a tender embrace. She looked back at them and asked, "What would you call it?"

Jane noticed this and responded, "You were not here a few minutes ago. It seemed like they were trying to make love to each other as Loki was seated on the kitchen chair and they were both still fully dressed."

"Are you kidding?" Patrice asked in a whisper.

Jane scoffed lightly and replied, "No, I am not."

"Who started it?" Patrice asked.

"I believe Grace did." Jane answered.

"Really?" Patrice commented as she sat beside Jane.

"Oh yes. I came in here to read while Grace cut his hair, as he requested her to do, and a few minutes later, they were both moaning with pleasure. When they stared to moan, I looked over and they were locked in a romantic kiss. Once she was finished cutting his hair, she must have sat down on his lap and begin kissing him." Jane explained.

"Wow." Patrice said as she looked back at them in the kitchen as they still stood wrapped in a loving embrace. "To be loved that much that you do not care who may see."

Jane looked in the kitchen as well and responded, "I completely agree."

A few minutes later, both Grace and Loki came into the sitting room. They both sat down beside each other and across from their guests with a sheepish smile on their faces. After a few minutes, she said, "I am sorry about that."

"No need to apologize, Grace." Patrice responded as she smiled at them. "Loki is an attractive man; I can understand you wanting to make love to him whenever possible."

Grace smiled and put her hand over his as it rested on his knee. She looked at her mother and responded, "Honestly, I hardly notice his appearance." She then looked at him and gazed into his green eyes as she explained, "Every time I look at him all I see is his tender heart and his wonderful personality reflected in his breathtaking eyes."

Loki had the incredible urge to kiss her passionately on the lips and make love to her right then and there, but he had to fight himself not to because they were not alone in the room. Instead, he just took her hand and brought it up to his lips and kissed it romantically. Grace blushed and looked down at the ground as a coy smile spread across her face.

After a half hour, Loki placed his hand on her upper thigh and rested it there. Grace leaned against his shoulder as she listened to her mother speak to her. He could not pay any attention to his mother-in-law as she spoke to them. All he could focus on was the feel of his wife leaning against him and the memory of what she said about him. He wanted to kiss her deeply and lay her down on the cot and shower her with kisses as she moaned and whispered his name.

Grace was having the same problem. The feel of his touch lit a fire in her and she could hardly contain herself. She wanted to lie on top of him and kiss him passionately as she ran her hands over his entire frame. She also wanted to hear him moan with pleasure as she kissed him.

After a few more minutes, Patrice noticed that neither Grace nor Loki were paying any attention to her, although they were trying desperately to. They were too busy focusing on not losing themselves in their shared affections for each other. She smiled and turned to Jane and asked, "Would you like to go shopping for a bit? I think they could use a little more alone time." Jane noticed this and turned to Patrice and agreed to go shopping for a little bit.

As soon as the front door closed, Loki rushed his wife and kissed her desperately upon the lips. Grace kissed him back and placed her hands behind his head and pulled him closer to herself. He then leaned forward and laid her down on her back and continued to kiss her as he rested one hand behind her head and the fingers of his other hand were running through her hair. As his fingers were entwined in her hair, he was still kissing her passionately on the lips while he caressed the side of her face with the thumb of his hand that was behind her head. Loki then sat up and took his shirt off revealing his scared chest. When Grace saw his scars, her beautiful blue eyes began to water once again.

Loki noticed her tears and rested his chest carefully back on hers and began kissing her gently on the lips once again. But this time, there was an added amount of adoration and devotion to it that took Grace's breath away. He then began to kiss the corner of her mouth and he slowly and romantically kissed along her left cheek bone. Once he got to her ear, he kissed it as he whispered alluringly into it, "I love you more then you will ever know, Grace. I would do absolutely anything for you."

He then kissed her neck and moved gradually down to her shoulder and down to her inner elbow. Loki then sat up and picked up her arm as he continued to caress her skin with adoring kisses. Once he reached her hand, he held it up to his lips as he breathed in her scent with his eyes closed. Grace watched him as he held her hand up to his mouth and she shifted slightly beneath him as she felt him kiss the palm of her hand tenderly.

"Loki?" Grace whispered softly.

Loki opened his eyes and gazed down at his wife and asked, "Yes, Grace?" He still held her hand close to his lips while he responded to her. So close, in fact, that his lips brushed against her skin as he spoke.

Grace just lay there and smiled up at him for a few minutes then she said, "I just love hearing you say my name."

Loki smiled brightly at her and kissed the back of her hand and stoked it with his soft lips. His eyes were closed yet again as he kissed each of her fingers in turn. He paid special attention to her ring finger as he kissed it numerous times. All the while he whispered, "Grace, Grace, Grace," leisurely.

Grace closed her eyes and smiled as her husband continued to caress her left hand with soft kissed as he whispered her name. After a few moments, she raised her right hand and placed it on Loki's bare shoulder. Upon feeling her touch, he opened his eyes and saw his wife gazing up at him affectionately. He then released her hand and leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on the lips. She felt his entire frame pressed up against hers gently as he kissed her and she pulled him closer to herself. Loki then wrapped his arms around her back and as he sat up, she was wrapped in his arms, so she followed him up. He then proceeded to lift her shirt over her head slowly and she raised her arms over her head in order to assist him.

After her shirt was dropped onto the floor, Loki leaned forward once again and laid Grace down on her back. He kissed her on the lips slowly and romantically as he held her tenderly. She laid there on the cot as they kissed each other fervently on the lips. Once her husband began to caress her neck with soft kisses, he placed his left hand on her bare side and slowly moved it down her right leg. Once his hand reached her knee, he tenderly hooked his hand behind her knee and lifted her leg off the cot and wrapped it around his waist.

The room seemed to get a lot warmer as Grace and Loki shared their love for each other, yet they hardly noticed. All they knew was that they held the person they would readily give their life for in their arms. She wrapped her arms around her husbands shoulders as he continued to stoke her neck with his soft lips. She let a soft breathy moan out of her lips as her husband began to kiss her collarbone.

"Grace?" Loki whispered.

"Yes, my love?" Grace responded in between ragged breathes.

Loki stopped kissing her and rested his chin on her chest as he looked up at her and smiled. Grace looked down in his adoring green eyes and smiled back at him. After they gazed into each other's eyes for a few minutes, Loki whispered, "How about we just lay here for a few moments?"

Grace grinned and responded, "Want ever you want to do, Loki."

Loki then turned his head and rested it on her chest as he closed his eyes. Grace smiled when she felt her husband lay his head down on her chest. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and rested one of her hands on his head. He let a sigh of contentment out of his lips as he felt her run her fingers through his freshly cut hair.

About a half hour later, Patrice and Jane came back and entered the house quietly. They were listening to see if they could hear anything suggesting that Grace and Loki were still making love to each other. Not hearing anything, they entered the sitting room and saw Grace lying on her back and Loki's lower torso was between her legs with her left leg wrapped over his waist as his head rested on her bare chest. They both appeared to be sleeping, so they went back into the kitchen and got a cup of coffee. Then they sat at the table and spoke softly as they sipped their coffee and they conversed with each other.

"Loki must love her a great deal." Patrice commented.

Jane nodded her head and responded, "He certainly seems to. I am glad that Grace has someone that loves her like she deserves."

Patrice smiled and took a sip of her coffee. After a few moments she said, "Do you think he treats her right?"

Jane was confused, "Of course, what makes you think otherwise?"

Patrice remained silent for a moment. Jane watched her with growing concern the longer she remained silent. Does she know something that she does not? Finally, Patrice answered her question by saying, "I am just worried that he may revert to his old ways. Given his past, I do not want him to hurt Grace."

"I do not think he will. Just look at him." Jane paused. "He is one of the gentlest people in the world. If anything were to happen, I think Grace would know how to handle it. She did it before." Jane smiled.

Patrice agreed and they sat and drank their coffee for a few minutes as they spoke to each other about several things. A few minutes later, Loki and Grace sat up from the cot and put their shirts back on. Grace walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table whereas Loki went farther into the kitchen to prepare a meal.

Beth came home from school a few minutes later and she sat at the table and spoke of her day to those at the table. Loki then brought some food over to the table and they ate in relative silence. After the meal, Jane went back to her hotel and Loki went into the sitting room to help Beth with her homework as Patrice and Grace spoke. Patrice asked her daughter a few questions about her son-in-law and how their relationship was going. Grace did not think anything of it as she answered her questions. But after a while, she detected a hint of worry in her mother's voice. In response to this, she put one of her hands on her mother's knee and asked, "Is everything alright, mother?"

Patrice leaned forward and whispered, "I am just worried about you. I can see that Loki loves you a great deal, but what happens if that love runs dry? Will he become abusive? Will he become an alcoholic? Will he leave you like so many other people have?"

"Why are you speaking in this manner? He would never do that to me." Grace asked as a wounded sorrowful expression grew on her face.

"I am only trying to be realistic, Grace. You and Loki are in the honeymoon phase of your relationship. What happens after it wears off?" Patrice responded.

Tears began to form in her eyes as Grace responded, "No! I will not let it happen! I love him too much to allow it!" She shouted with tears running down her face.

"I am afraid you do not have a choice. It is natural." Patrice responded.

Loki came into the kitchen then and walked straight up to his wife and asked her as he gently put his hands on her shoulders while he searched her eyes, "What is wrong, Grace?"

Grace did not answer. Instead she buried her face in his chest and wept freely. Loki kissed the top of her head tenderly as she sobbed bitterly. He wrapped his arms around her and swayed gently in an attempt to console his wife. He shot an accusatory glance at his mother-in-law and then he kissed his wife again. This time he gently kissed her ear.

A few moments passed in this fashion and Beth came out to the kitchen and saw Grace grieving in Loki's arms. She heard Grace yell yet, like Loki, she had no idea why. All she knew was that she was learning some math equations with Loki and suddenly Grace was shouting at her mother. When he went to see what was wrong, she must have thrown herself in his arms.

After a few minutes, Grace pulled away from Loki and wiped the tears from her eyes as she said, "I am sorry."

"About what? What happened?" Loki asked softly as he searched her sorrowful blue eyes for an explanation.

Grace placed her hand over his heart and whispered to him, "I will tell you later." She then stood on her tip toes and kissed him sweetly on the lips.

Later, everyone was in bed and Patrice was sleeping on one of the cots in the sitting room. Loki and Grace were lying in bed together wide awake as she lay her head on his chest and his left hand was resting on her shoulder. She had just explained to him what had occurred earlier between her mother and herself and he was trying to digest what she said. Would his love for her really fade? He did not think it was possible. Not with how deep his adoration was.

"Loki?" Grace asked as she looked up at him.

"Yes, darling." Loki responded.

"Do you think there is any truth to what my mother said? Do you think our love for each other will really wane over time?" Grace asked as she gazed into his eyes.

"I am not sure, Grace." Loki replied. "But, I do know one thing."

"What is that?" Grace inquired.

Loki sat up and held her tightly in his strong arms as he whispered tenderly, "I would never leave you."

Grace felt her eyes well up with tears as she listened to him. Loki pulled her closer when he felt a tear hit his shoulder. After a few moments, he pulled out of the embrace and put his hand gently under her chin and led her lips closer to his. He then kissed her gently on the lips and she responded in kind. He leaned back onto the bed and she followed him down all the while they were kissing each other lovingly.

Once he was lying on his back, Grace pulled away slightly and looked down at him and smiled. Her hand was resting over his heart as she gazed lovingly in his gentle green eyes. Loki looked intently back up at her and whispered, "I do not care what your mother says, Grace. My love for you will never change."

Grace smiled and laid her head over his heart. Loki smiled and kissed the top of her head once again. She closed her eyes and fell asleep a few minutes later leaving her husband there awake to contemplate what she told him that her mother had said to her.

The next morning, Grace awoke in bed all alone. Worried, she sat up and put her brace on. Without even getting changed out of her night cloths, she walked out to the kitchen and saw Loki already beginning to prepare breakfast. She walked up to him slowly and once she reached him she kissed his shoulder and rubbed his back lovingly.

Loki smiled and said, "Good morning, Grace. How did you sleep?"

Grace wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder, "I slept well. How about you?"

Loki turned around and wrapped his arms around her and responded, "I slept wonderfully, my love. I love holding you in my arms as I sleep."

Grace smiled brightly and replied, "Then you will not mind if I fall asleep on your chest every night."

Loki gazed tenderly into her bright eyes and whispered, "That would be a dream come true."

Grace stood on her tip toes and kissed him lovingly on the lips. In response, Loki pulled her closer as he kissed her passionately. He lost himself in his affection for his wife and he began kissing her neck and throat as he held her in his arms. She leaned her head back and moaned with pleasure as she felt his lips on her neck once again.

Loki then picked Grace up in his arms and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he held her against the wall and kissed her overpoweringly on the lips. She placed both of her hands on the back of his head as he placed his hands against the wall. He then began to kiss her neck once again as she held him tightly to herself. She was breathing heavy and her heart was racing as she felt her husband kiss her neck.

Their hearts were racing in sync with each others as they kissed each other fervently on the lips. As Loki held her close to him, he felt as if as if his heart was going to explode with passion. As she was held against the wall, Grace discovered that she was more in love with him then she originally thought. She pulled him closer to herself as they kissed each other desperately and he moved his hands from the wall to her waist and ran them down to her knees and held them around him tightly.

Grace felt as her husband began to kiss her throat and her chest and she moaned with pleasure. When Loki heard this, he smiled and kissed her harder. As he did this, she ran her hands down the back of his shirt. He felt her hands on his back and stopped kissing her chest and moved back up to her lips and caressed them fervently with his.

After about a half hour passed in this fashion, he set his wife down on her feet and kissed her ardently as he stood in front of her. Grace wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. In response to this, Loki pulled away and looked into her bright blue eyes as they shone in the light of morning sun that was streaming in through the window over the sink. Her cheeks where flushed and there was a bright smile on her face as she gazed back up at him.

"I love you, darling." Loki whispered tenderly.

"I love you too, Loki." Grace whispered back.

Loki smiled brightly and leaned forward as he kissed her once more. This time however, it was not urgent and zealous, but rather it was passionate and romantic as his warm lips moved in sync with hers. Grace smiled and kissed him back as she pulled him closer to herself.

A few minutes later, they parted and went about their daily tasks of preparing breakfast for themselves as well as their guests. Suddenly, a knock sounded at the front door and Loki went to see who it was. Once he opened it, a confused expression grew on his face. There was no one there. He looked around for a few moments then he looked down and came close to shouting for Grace. Lying on the ground was man who had raggedy clothes on and it appeared like there was a knife stuck in his chest.

Instead of calling for his wife, Loki bent down and pick up the man who was at the door and put his arm around his shoulders as he struggled to carry him into the house. Once the door was closed, he called out, "Grace! Come here, please!"

Grace entered the sitting room with a towel in her hands as she dried them off and a confused expression rested on her face. When she saw her husband laying the man down on one of the cots, she gasped and dropped the towel onto the floor as she ran the best she could over to the wounded man on the cot.

Once she reached his bedside, Grace knelt down and grasped the man's hand. She then looked up at Loki and asked, "What happened?"

"I am not sure." Loki responded as he knelt beside her. "When I opened the door he was lying on the ground with that knife in his chest."

Grace placed her hands on the man's chest on either side of the knife and bowed her head. She then mumbled a few words under her breath for a few moments then she gripped the handle of the knife tightly in one hand and froze. She then looked up at Loki and asked, "Can you please help me pull this out of his chest?"

Loki grinned weakly and wrapped his hand around hers and they both pulled the knife out of the man's chest. As soon as it was out of the poor man, he shouted with pain and opened his eyes and looked up at them with appreciation in his light brown eyes. He watched as Loki rushed out of the room to retrieve the items that Grace asked for and as she placed her hands over the wound on his chest and closed her eyes. Bright red blood was gushing all over her white hands as tears began to stream from her gentle blue eyes.

The man whispered to her, "Thank you." His voice was weak and strained as he spoke to her.

Grace just responded by shushing him and saying through her tears, "Do not speak. You are losing too much blood."

Loki returned then with a bowl of water and a rag and he handed them to his wife as he knelt down beside her. Grace quickly dunked the rag into the water and rung it out before she placed it on his chest. The blood flow did not halt or slow down for some time so Grace leaned over and whispered, "I am going to ask Loki to rip your shirt open, alright. This is strictly to help me treat the wound."

The man nodded his head and Loki took his shirt firmly in his hands and tore it open. Once his chest was revealed, Grace almost started to weep again. His wound appeared to be infected for there were lines of black and dark blue extending from his wound farther into his chest. "I do not know if I can heal this." She whispered to herself.

In response, Loki wrapped his arm around her shoulder and responded as he kissed her forehead. "I know you can." He whispered.

Grace smiled and dunked the bloody rag back in the bowl of water. She then replaced it on his chest and closed her eyes. She bowed her head once again and whispered under her breath for a few moments. Then the man whispered, "Thank you" once again. Immediately afterwards, he stopped breathing and closed his eyes.

Grace froze in place as she gazed at the man who had just perished on the cot. Had she done something wrong? If so, what was it? Not able to figure out what she did wrong, she started to weep bitterly as she wrapped her arms around her husband's neck and held her bloodied hands aloft behind him. Loki wrapped his arms around her waist and let her cry on his shoulder. He contemplated whispering into her ear, 'You cannot save everyone, darling'. But the words caught in his throat when he looked down at the man who just died and saw that his chest was moving up and down as he breathed slowly.

Loki was frozen in place when he watched then man opening his brown eyes gradually. He managed to say, "Grace" softly under his breath. Grace turned to see what her husband was looking at and saw the man gazing up at them with a bright weak smile on his face. She immediately let go of her husband and turned back to their guest.

Loki watched as his wife showered affection on this stranger and found a wave of jealousy rising up in his inner most being. He glared down at the man on to cot and secretly wished he had not brought him inside. He was devising a plan to dispatch of him quietly without Grace knowing that it was him when she turned back to him and said, "Thank you, Loki. If it had not been for you believing in me, I doubt this man would be alive." With that said she leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips. As her lips moved in sync with his, he felt his jealousy disappear. After four minutes, she pulled away and said to him as she looked deeply into his green eyes, "Thank you."

"You are more than welcome, dear." Loki responded quietly as he gazed into her blue eyes.

A few minutes later, they were in the kitchen preparing breakfast for the five people in the house. Patrice was still staying with them. For some reason, she had not gotten a hotel this time, and she was still sleeping on one of the cots in the sitting room soundly despite all the commotion around the man that they just brought in. Grace was breaking open the last eggs onto a frying pan and Loki was putting thin slices of bread into the toaster. He looked over at her and smiled when he saw that she was rubbing her womb slowly while she hummed a slow tune to herself.

After the bread was in the toaster, he smiled and walked over to her slowly. Once Loki was close enough, he wrapped his arms around her waist and embraced her from behind. Grace smiled brightly and reached up and put her hand on the side of his face as he kissed her cheek softly. "I love you, darling." He whispered sweetly in her ear after they had stood there in this manner for a few minutes. His voice was dripping with love and admiration as he spoke to her.

Grace whispered, "I love you too, darling." They stood in this fashion for a few more minutes when Beth's bedroom door opened and she came rushing out. Loki then released his wife and walked over to the toaster to get the toast out and he put it on one plate to set in the center of the table.

Beth sat at the table as Loki put the plate of toast in the center of the table. She looked up at him and said with a smile on her face, "Good morning, Loki."

Loki smiled back and said, "Good morning, Beth. What are you going to do on this fine autumn day?" He knelt down in front of her and listened to her response.

"I think I am going to see if Liza wants to go play in the leaves today." Beth replied.

"That sounds like a wonderful idea!" Loki answered as he smiled brightly.

As Loki and Beth spoke, Grace cooked the eggs and listened to them talking to each other. She found herself smiling as she heard him carry a conversation with their adopted daughter. It was one of the most wonderful things she had ever heard. He was so kind and caring towards her. She could not wait until their children were born so she could see him holding them in his strong arms.

Patrice came to the kitchen table shortly afterwards and look over at Grace who still stood by the stove and smiled weakly. Grace noticed this and grew concerned so she asked, "Loki, could you please come take over for a moment?"

"Yes, of course." Loki responded. He then stood up and walked over to the stove and Grace walked over to the table and sat across from her mother.

Once she sat down, Grace looked at Patrice and asked, "Is everything alright, mother?"

Patrice looked into her daughters' concerned blue eyes and smiled feebly, "Not exactly."

Grace folded her arms on the table as she leaned forward slightly. Patrice gazed down at her hands as they rested on the table and rubbed her left ring finger. Grace glanced down as well and noticed that there was no ring on her hand. Something happened between her and Philip.

Upon seeing this, Grace placed her hand over her mothers and looked into her eyes with a saddened expression on her usually jovial face. "It is alright. You will get through this. You can stay here as long as you need."

Patrice smiled and grasped her daughter's hand tightly and responded. "Thank you, Grace." A few moments later, she asked, "On another note, what happened to the man in the sitting room?"

"While Loki and I were beginning to prepare breakfast, there was a knock on the door. He went to answer it and saw him lying on the ground with a knife sticking out of his chest. He then carried him in and laid him on the cot. It was touch and go for a while, but he is on the mends." Grace smiled at her mother.

At that moment, Loki brought their breakfast over to the table and sat down. There was only one egg on the two plates that he set in front of Beth and his mother-in-law. The one that he set in front of Grace, however, had two eggs on it and he had none. Grace saw this and asked, "Loki, I hope you are going to eat at least one of these eggs."

Loki shook his head slightly and answered, "No I will not. You need the nourishment."

"But you need to eat as well." Grace protested as she grabbed his hand gently.

Loki smiled and brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it tenderly. "I will, darling. I will eat some of the toast."

Grace gave him a stern look and responded powerfully, "You need to eat more than just bread, Loki. You need some protein."

Loki was taken off guard by how forceful his wife was. He raised his eyebrows and looked at her in shock. Was this really the same woman that he had fallen in love with? What happened?

Grace noticed this expression on his face and immediately apologized and explained, "I just want you to eat something. You should not be starving yourself."

Loki smiled and said softly as he knelt in front of her, "I am not starving myself, Grace. I just want to make sure you eat enough."

Grace smiled and responded, "I have the same concern, Loki. I am not fond of the thought that you are just going to eat nothing but bread for breakfast." As she spoke, she placed her right hand behind his head tenderly.

Loki then kissed her forehead and said, "I will grab a bit of ham out of the fridge. Is that better?"

"Much better, thank you." Grace replied. Loki then stood and walked over to the fridge and got some ham out and placed it on a plate. He then came and sat at the table and ate his meal beside his wife.

After breakfast, Beth left to go to Liza's house and Patrice sat in the sitting room with a book and a cup of coffee. Loki and Grace were in the kitchen cleaning up and she told him about her mother's misfortune while they were straightening up the kitchen together. He was distraught by what he heard, yet he was also a bit happy. At least his mother-in-law was no longer with that jerk.

Once they were finished cleaning, Loki went into the sitting room and sat across from Patrice and said, "I can take you up to Asgard sometime soon if you would like to take your mind off of your situation with Philip?"

Patrice looked up at him and asked, "Really? You would do that for me?"

Loki smiled brightly and responded, "Of course. You are my mother. Well, mother-in-law."

Patrice smiled back at him and said, "I would like that a lot. Thank you."

Loki grinned and placed his hand on her knee warmly, "No problem. Let me know when you want to go."

As they were speaking, Grace brought a sandwich in for the man on the cot and set the plate on the floor beside him. She looked up at him and smiled when she saw that he was sleeping soundly. She then placed her hand on his forehead and smiled even brighter when he opened his eyes and smiled at her. "Good morning. I brought you a sandwich. It is sitting right beside you on the floor." She whispered.

"Thank you." The man whispered back as he took her hand and held it tightly.

Grace smiled and placed her other hand on top of his and said softly, "My pleasure. You need to eat now, alright?"

The man nodded his head and smiled as he sat up slightly and grabbed the sandwich off the plate and began to eat it slowly. Loki watched as she told him the same thing she told him when she first brought him in. He watched as the man gave his pregnant wife a tight embrace and another pang of jealousy rose up in him. He knew that Grace was a caring person but he was worried that she would fall in love with that man and run off with him.

After the embrace ended, Grace smiled brightly and whispered to him, "You can stay here for as long as you need to." The man smiled back as he as he took another bite out of the sandwich.

As Grace walked away, Loki stood up and followed her into the kitchen. Once Grace got a glass of water for herself, he cornered her at the sink and said in a low whisper, "I hope he knows that we are married." His voice was layered with distrust as he spoke to her.

Upon hearing this in his voice, Grace smiled and put her left hand on the side of his face as she responded by whispering back, "I believe he does, Loki. Even if not, you need not worry. I love you. You and no other."

Loki gently grasped her hand and kissed it tenderly as tears formed in his green eyes as he sighed and said, "It is not you that I am worried about. It is him." Hearing this, Grace stood on her tip toes and kissed him affectionately on the lips.

Once their lips parted, Grace smiled and said, "Do not worry, Loki. I will not encourage anything other than friendship to form between us." She kissed him on the cheek and said, "After he eats, and he is ready, I will introduce everyone." She then kissed his other cheek.

Loki smiled weakly, "That sounds like a plan." As he was speaking, he was stroking the side of her dainty face with his long fingers.

After their guest finished eating, Grace waddled up to him and took the plate from him and asked, "Do you feel up to meeting everyone right now? Or would you like to wait a bit?"

Then man sat up and looked around nervously and asked as he furrowed his light brown eyes, "How many people are in this house?"

"There are just two other people in the house at the moment. My daughter, Beth, is at a friend's house right now and she will be home later. And my friend is at a hotel. She should be here in a few minutes and you can meet her then." Grace replied with a warm smile.

The man leaned against the wall and answered, "I suppose I am ready to meet the ones who are here now."

Grace smiled and called Loki and her mother over. She then took his hand and introduced him by saying, "This is my husband, Loki." She then turned to her mother and said, "And this is my mother, Patrice." The man smiled and shook both of their hands and introduced himself as Mike.

Loki observed him closely as Mike interacted with his family. He watched as he smiled brightly as Grace spoke to him and told him a bit about herself. He became envious when he noticed that his wife was smiling lovingly back at him. Was she falling in love with this stranger? How could she do that to him?! Force him to care then turn her back on him! Fury began to form in him as he watched Grace and Mike interacting while he glared in their direction.

At that moment, the front door opened and Beth came running into the house. She called out for Grace and she was called into the sitting room. Once she was in the room, her adopted mother then explained to the young one that this man was going to be staying with them for a few days until he was better. Loki watched as Mike shook Beth's hand and saw a warm smile form on her face. Before long, he found himself plotting a way to dispense of this man once again as he observed Mike asking the little one questions about her school and a few other things.

Their interactions with each other were purely innocent, but Loki was not aware of this fact as he began to gnash his teeth and shoot deathly looks in Mike's direction. Patrice was watching as he observed this strange man interact with his wife and child. Fear grew in her inner most being as she watched her son-in-law glare at the new arrival in the house. There was a slight animalistic quality to his hardening green eyes and it brought to mind how he had terrorized the city all those years ago.

A few minutes later, Grace looked back at her husband and saw the look of abhorrence on his face as he glared at Mike. In response to this, she waddled up to him and took his hand and stood on her tip toes while giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek as she put her other hand on the side of his face. Loki's face softened dramatically the moment her soft lips touched his face. She then whispered in his ear, "Calm down, my love. Mike is a guest. Nothing more."

"Then why are treating him so lovingly?" Loki asked as he turned and looked at her. When Grace looked in his eyes she gasped. Tears had begun to form in his green as he waited patiently for an answer.

"Loki." Grace responded as she put her hand over his heart as her other hand remained on the side of his face. She smiled and continued, "Everyone deserves a bit of love and care. Who knows, I may be the only one who shows them that people really do care about them all their life. Besides," She paused and glanced at his pale lips for a split second. "Where would we both be if I had not shown you a bit of love?"

Loki grinned at this comment and leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on the lips. Grace kissed him back and moved her hands to the back of his head. After they separated, they remained in each other's arms for a few moments and gazed into each other's eyes.

Loki smiled at his wife and took her hand in his and bowed low as he kissed her hand affectionately. Grace smiled and put her other hand under his chin and raised his face to meet her loving gaze. "Loki, you should know that you do not have to bow to me."

Loki wrapped his arms around her hips and picked her up in his arms in one motion. Once he was standing up straight, he responded with a large smile on his face, "How else am I suppose to pick you up?"

Grace laughed lightly and gazed down at him as Loki held her in his strong arms. As he smiled up at her, he noticed that she still wore the ring that he had made for her out of his hair on her right hand. He shook his head gently and kissed her lips tenderly.

After a few minutes, their lips parted and Loki put Grace down on her feet. But before he let her go, he kissed her deeply on the lips. Grace smiled and kissed him back and placed her hands behind his head as she breathed him in. He leaned forward slightly as he held his wife tightly in his arms and kissed her all the more passionately.

As he started to stoke her neck with soft kisses, a soft breathy moan escaped her lips. While Loki was still caressing her neck, Grace said breathlessly, "Can we continue this later? We have a guest that I need to prepare a meal for."

Loki kissed her neck two more times as he traveled up to her lips. Once he reached them, he kissed her longingly and pulled her closer to himself. Their lips moved in sync with each other for around twenty minutes as their hearts raced in time. After they parted he whispered as he gazed into her eyes, "Of course we can, darling."

Grace smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Thank you."

Loki stroked the side of her face with the backs of his fingers and he smiled lovingly down at her and whispered affectionately, "My pleasure."

Grace smiled lovingly at him as she placed her hand on the side of his face. Loki gazed into her eyes for a few moments as his hand was placed over hers. As they were looking intently into each other's eyes, Beth and Mike were watching them. They had been ever since she laughed when her husband picked her up. Mike was smiling for he had just asked if they had been married long and Beth responded by saying that they had just been married for a few months.

Mike remembered when he and his late wife had just gotten married and he recalled sharing kisses with her and the pleasure that it brought. A tear began to form in his left eye as he remembered waking up next to her and seeing her smiling face. As he thought of his wife, Grace had walked off into the kitchen and Loki looked over at him and saw tears running down his face. He walked over to their guest and asked, "What is wrong, Mike?"

Mike was snapped out of his thoughts and he looked up into Loki's worried green eyes. He smiled weakly at him and responded, "Nothing." Mike then looked back down at the cot and sighed.

Loki then sat across from him and said, "That is not true. Now what is bothering you?"

Mike looked back up into Loki's concerned eyes and said quietly, "Watching you with Grace, I am reminded of my wife Lacy." He had such a sorrowful look on his face when he said this that tears had begun to form in his hosts eyes.

"Where is she?" Loki inquired quietly.

"She died in childbirth a month ago." Mike responded as he was overtaken by sorrow and placed his head in his hands and began to sob bitterly. "Our child died too."

Loki did not know what to do as Mike wept sorrowfully right beside him. How did Grace comfort him when he was crying? Did she place her hand on his back? Did she talk to him? Did she hug him? He thought about it and determined that she put her hand on his back. He then, cautiously, raised his hand over Mikes back and carefully placed it on his shoulder blade.

In response to this, Mike began to sob harder and Loki thought he did something wrong. Hearing someone crying, Grace rushed to the threshold of the sitting room and saw her husband sitting at their guests' side as he tried to comfort him. She smiled and leaned against the wall and watched as he rubbed his back warmly.

After a few minutes, Mike sat up and wiped his eyes. He then turned to Loki and asked, "How far along is Grace?"

"Five months." Loki replied.

"She is looking good. A bit thin though." Mike responded.

"She eats very little." Loki answered.

"Why?" Mike asked.

"Because she enjoys giving all the food we have to others. When I try to get her to eat more, she argues with me. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes not." Loki answered.

"She needs to eat more. For her and your child's sake." Mike insisted as he leaned forward and grasped Loki's hand desperately.

"Is that what happened to Lacy?" Loki asked as his eyes grew wide with panic.

Mike nodded his head as tears began to form in his eyes once again. After a few moments of sorrow, he said through his tears, "We did not have enough food for both of us and I was unaware of this fact. She gave it to me without my knowledge that we did not have enough."

Upon hearing this, Loki looked up at Grace in the kitchen and saw that she was preparing a small meal of baked potatoes as she rubbed her womb unconsciously. Lacy sounded exactly like her. Was it a trait that was inherent in all women to make sure everyone else was satisfied without a second thought for themselves? Perhaps it was just mothers. Because Frigga was like that and none of the other Asgardian women were.

A few minutes later, Grace waddled into the sitting room carrying a plate with a baked potato and some carrots in her grasp. She smiled and handed it to Mike as she told him to stay there and rest. She then called Loki and Beth into the kitchen for lunch. When he entered the kitchen he saw two plates with a baked potato and some carrots on them in her hands. He watched as Grace placed one in front of Beth then the other in front of him after he sat down.

"I hope you are going to eat as well, Grace." Loki said quietly as he took her hand and looked up at her after she had placed the plate in front of where he was seated.

Grace looked in his eyes and saw a hint of anxiety in his bright green eyes. In response to this, she grinned lovingly and placed her hand on the side of his face. She then walked back to the oven and got a few carrots off the stove and she placed them on a plate. She then walked over to the table and sat down beside Loki. He looked over at her plate of four carrots and asked in shock, "Are you going to eat more? Please eat at least half of a potato."

Grace then leaned in and whispered in his ear, "We are out of potatoes. I am going to go to the store tomorrow."

In response to this, Loki cut his potato in half and put the larger half on his wife's plate. He then placed his hand under her chin and gently pulled her lips to his and kissed her tenderly. After their lips parted, Grace smiled and bit her lower lip as she glanced at his pale lips for a split second. He saw this and leaned forward and kissed her again. This time, he kissed her passionately and placed his hand on the side of her neck lovingly.

Once their lips parted, Loki gazed into his wife's eyes and whispered, "I will go with you."

An hour later, the front door opened and Jane came walking into the house with four plastic bags in her hands. She had gone shopping and picked up a few things for her friend. Grace smiled and waddled up to her and took two of the plastic bags out of her grasp. Jane thanked her and Grace told her about their guest in the sitting room and to go introduce herself.

After she had helped Grace put all of the groceries away, Jane walked into the sitting room and saw a man lying on one of the numerous cots. He had ragged brown hair and was very poorly dressed. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be sleeping. She looked back into the kitchen and saw her friend urging her forward with a reassuring smile.

Jane looked back at the rugged man on the cot and took a few more cautious steps forward. When she was just a few steps away, he opened his light brown eyes and looked over at her and smiled. His lips parted and he said, "You must be Grace's friend." He sat up and said, "My name is Mike."

Jane smiled back at him and introduced herself. As they were talking, she could not help notice that his shirt was ripped open and there was a bandage on his chest. She pointed at it and asked, "Is it alright if I ask what happened?"

Mike looked down at the bandage and smiled. "There was a fight outside a bar I was walking by. There were two men arguing and it was becoming violent. I tried to break them up and the next thing I knew, one of them shoved a knife in my chest. I was lying on the street bleeding for who knows how long."

Jane gasped and put her hands over her mouth. After a few moments, she asked, "How did you get here?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. Someone probably found me lying on the street and brought me here. For one minute, I was laying on the street. The next, I was lying on this cot with Grace and Loki taking care of me. Whatever happened, it is one of the best things that has ever occurred to me." Mike explained. Jane smiled as she listened to him and she sat next to him as they spoke about various things.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, Grace was straightening up from lunch as Loki sat at the table and helped Beth with her homework. She was doing a writing assignment as he sat across from her and assisted her whenever she needed help. Grace could not help but smile every time she heard him speaking in soft tones to their adopted daughter.

Once Beth was finished with her homework she ran off to play with her toys in the sitting room leaving Loki and Grace in the kitchen. He watched as his wife focused on cleaning the dishes in her hands. Her shoulder length brown hair was pulled back revealing her high cheek bones and her furrowed bright blue eyes while she scrubbed the plate she was holding.

After a few minutes, Loki smiled and walked up behind her slowly. Once he was behind Grace, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the back of her neck tenderly. She smiled and reached her hand up and placed it on the side of his face and asked softly, "What are you doing?"

Loki rested his chin on her shoulder as his arms remained wrapped around her. He responded tenderly, "I just wanted to kiss you."

Grace smiled brighter and turned around to face him. When she was looking up into his loving green eyes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "Well, you missed my lips, love." She then stood on her tip toes and kissed him tenderly on the lips. Loki kissed her back and added more passion to it as he pulled her closer to himself.

They parted after a few minutes but their arms remained wrapped around each other tightly. They stood there and gazed adoringly into the eyes of their spouse as time moved by. After a few moments, Loki leaned forward slightly and started to caress her neck with soft kisses once again. Grace closed her eyes and smiled as she enjoyed the feel of her husband's lips on her neck once again.

A soft moan escaped her lips as he continued to stroke her neck with his thin lips. Loki smiled and pulled away slightly and looked down at Grace as her eyes remained closed and a content smile rested on her face. He smiled as he watched her eyes opened slowly and focus on him. They gazed into each other's eyes for a few moments then he asked in a soft seductive whisper, "Could we go back to our room for a bit, my love?"

Grace smiled and responded in the same tone of voice, "What would you like to do in our room?"

Loki pulled her closer to himself and he leaned forward and kissed her ear and he whispered alluringly into it, "I think you know what I want to do."

Grace could no longer control the passion that was building inside of her. She grabbed his head and pulled his lips down to hers as she stood on her tip toes and kissed him violently and ardently. Loki was so shocked by her sudden show of passion that he almost fell over onto the floor. He stopped himself from falling by stepping backwards and grabbing the kitchen counter hastily. She noticed this and pulled away quickly and apologized profusely.

Loki smiled and picked her up in his arms with his left arm supporting her legs as his right was around her back. He then whispered, "You have nothing to apologize for, Grace."

Grace smiled and rested her head over his heart and listened as it pounded strongly in his chest. Loki watched as his wife laid her head on his chest and smiled lovingly and he kissed the top of her head romantically. She let out a soft sigh of contentment as she rested her head over his heart and felt him kiss her head. He sat down at the table softly and watched as his wife relaxed in his arms.

As Loki observed Grace laying her head on his chest he felt the urge to carry her back to their room so he could make love to her building up inside himself. But he did not for it appeared as if she was falling asleep in his arms and he did not want to disturb her. Instead, he just watched her resting her head over his heart and a pleasant smile grew on his face. He could not believe that she was real.

All his life, Loki felt alone and that no one would love him. When he discovered that he was a Jotun, he was crushed. For now, his fears were confirmed. He was a monster, and no one ever loves monsters. Suddenly, this beautiful young woman came along out of nowhere and changed everything. She showed him the beauty in the everyday world that he had neglected to notice. She opened his eyes which were closed so tightly with a gentle embrace. She showed him the love he never thought he would experience in his entire life.

At that thought, Loki leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. Grace smiled and opened her eyes and looked up at him and saw that his adoring green eyes were gazing down at her. She reached her hand up and placed it on the side of his face and he kissed the heel of her hand. After they gazed into each other's eyes for a few moments, she whispered sweetly, "What are you thinking about?"

Loki smiled and whispered back, "I am thinking about how much I love you, darling."

Grace smiled and sat up slightly and kissed him romantically on the lips. Loki kissed her back and ran his hand up her back and rested it on the back of her neck as he pulled her closer to him and breathed her in. She smiled and put both of her hands behind his head and pulled him closer to her as she kissed him deeper than ever before.

Meanwhile, in the sitting room, Jane and Mike were talking to each other when they heard Grace moan softly. Mike smiled and Jane sighed in frustration. She muttered under her breath, "Seriously, they have a guest here."

Mike heard her and inquired, "What is wrong?"

Jane looked over at him and responded, "It sounds like they are having sex on the kitchen floor. I would not be surprised if they were."

Mike was shocked, "Really? They would do that?"

"Oh yes. They are like rabbits. They have sex at least four times a day." Jane replied.

Mike looked away and thought about what Jane had told him. They must love each other a great deal to make love to each other whenever and wherever they can without the concern that someone may see.

Mike and Jane listened for a few minutes as both husband and wife began to moan with pleasure. He was smiling while she placed her head in her hands in despair. He looked over at her and said, "If you are so worried about it, you should go see if that is really what they are doing."

Jane looked up at him in horror and said, "No way! You go!"

Mike grinned and responded as he shrugged his shoulders, "Grace told me to stay here and rest. You can look if you want." He watched as Jane uneasily stood up and apprehensively walked over to the kitchen and peeked around the corner. She saw Loki seated at the kitchen table with Grace seated on his lap. They seemed to be locked in a passionate kiss as their arms were wrapped around each other tightly. Jane could not help but smile when she saw them. They seemed to be so in love with each other. But she also felt a pang of sorrow rise in her heart when her mind instantly went to Thor.

She put this out of mind and turned back to the sitting room and sat back down on Mike's cot. Jane looked at him and said, "They are just seated at the table kissing each other."

Mike smiled and said, "See, nothing to worry about."

Later that night, Jane had gone back to her hotel, Mike and Patrice were sleeping on their perspective cots, Beth was sleeping in her room, and Loki and Grace were in their room together. Neither of them were asleep as they both laid on their sides wrapped in each other's arms with their eyes closed. She rested her head on his chest while her legs were intertwined with his and her arms were wrapped around his waist as he rested one of his hands between her shoulder blades and the other was on the back of her head.

They laid there in this fashion for a few minutes as they took each other's presence in. Loki was the one who broke the silence when he whispered, "Care to continue what we started earlier?"

Grace opened her eyes and looked up at him and saw that his loving green eyes were gazing adoringly into hers. She blushed and looked down at his bare chest and thought for a moment. She then kissed one of the scares on his upper chest sweetly. With his arms still wrapped securely around her, he rolled onto his back and let her continue to kiss his chest. Grace rested on top of him as she caressed the scars on her husband's chest with affectionate kisses.

Loki closed his eyes and rested his head back on the flat pillow as Grace's soft lips slowly traveled their way up to his neck. He let a low moan escape his lips as she began to kiss his neck. Upon hearing this, she smiled and sat up. She then repositioned herself on top of him and leaned forward and kissed her husband deeply on the lips. As their lips were interlocked with each others, Grace inhaled deeply as if she was trying to breathe him in. Loki smiled and ran his Jotun hands up her back under her shirt and they came to rest on her shoulder blades.

A few minutes later, Grace smiled and whispered in his ear, "I love you, Loki. I know I say it all the time, but it is true. I hope you can feel my love when I kiss you."

Loki responded by whispering back, "Not only do I feel it when you kiss me, but I experience it when you touch me. I feel it when you look at me. I even sense it in your presence. I am the luckiest man in all the nine realms to have met you."

Grace sat up slightly and smiled down at her husband. As Loki smiled back up at her, he moved his frigid hands from her shoulders to her waist. Upon feeling this, she ran her hands up his back and rested them behind his head while her fingers intertwined with his hair. She then leaned forward and kissed him passionately on the lips. The moment their lips touched, Loki moaned with pleasure and Grace kissed him all the more ardently.

Loki then rolled on top of her and rested on her gently as he added more passion to the kiss. He felt as Grace wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her as she kissed him harder. In response to this, he ran his icy hands down her side and he lifted her right leg off the bed and wrapped it around his waist as he sustained the adoring kiss.

A half hour later, both Loki and Grace had striped each other's night clothes off and were sitting up holding each other in their arms tightly. She laid her head over his heart as he rested his head on her shoulder. They were both breathing heavy as they relished the feel their spouse in their arms.

Suddenly, Loki picked her up in his arms and kissed her desperately and intensely on the lips. Grace responded by placing her hands behind his head and pulled him closer as she kissed him back. He inhaled deeply as he held her above him slightly. She smiled and ran her hands down his bare back as he began to kiss her neck. She moaned with pleasure as her husband held her against the wall and stroked her throat and upper chest with his frigid lips. Grace smiled and asked breathlessly, "Loki, I believe everyone is asleep now. Would you like to make love? We will have to keep things quiet though."

Loki stopped kissing her chest and he looked deeply into her blue eyes. "I would love to, Grace." He then laid her down on the bed and he rested gently on top of her as he kissed her tenderly on the lips. Grace enfolded her arms around his back and kissed him back as she enfolded her legs around his waist. They then began to make love to each other.

Four hours later, Loki and Grace were lying in bed together as they held each other's sweaty form in their arms. She was lying on her back as her husband rested his head on her swelling breasts. Her right arm was wrapped around his back while her left hand was resting on the back of his head while her legs remained wrapped around his strong waist. The wedding ring that Loki had given her on Asgard shoe in the pale light of the moon as she stroked his hair with her thin pale fingers. A pleasant calm smile rested on his face as he felt his wife kiss him on the top of the head tenderly.

Loki looked up at her and whispered, "That was amazing! Thank you so much!"

Grace smiled and responded, "It is easy when my partner is as handsome as you are, Loki."

Loki chuckled under his breath and kissed his wife romantically on the lips. Grace kissed him back and added more passion to it as she ran her hands down his sweaty back and they came to a halt when they reached his waist. In response to this, he began to kiss her neck as his hands rested behind her head. As she moaned with pleasure, Loki smiled and kissed his wife slower.

Suddenly, Grace felt his teeth on her neck as he bit her lightly. "Ouch!" She jumped. "What was that? Did you just bite me?"

Loki sat up slightly and looked at her regretfully and responded, "I am sorry, Grace. I lost control of myself. I just thought that biting the one you love was a sign of affection. I will be more careful in the future."

Grace smiled and inquired, "Where did you hear that?"

Loki looked at her questioningly and asked, "Does it matter?"

Grace smiled and responded, "I am not sure. I liked it. Could you do it again please?"

Loki smiled and bit his lower lip as he lay back down on top of his wife gently, careful not to crush their children and he bit her neck lightly once again. Grace smiled as her eyes closed and her head leaned back against the pillow and a soft moan escaped her lips. Upon hearing this, he began to kiss her neck once again and she moaned even louder. He smiled and looked down at her and whispered, "Grace, we are supposed to be quiet. Remember?"

Grace took a deep breath and responded in a soft whisper as she gazed up at her husband's smiling face, "I cannot help it, darling. Your lips just invoke these feelings in me that I cannot contain no matter how hard I try."

Loki smiled lovingly and leaned over and kissed his wife tenderly on the lips. Grace responded by rolling on top of him and kissing him ardently on the lips as his hands rested on her thin sweaty waist. He felt her begin to caress his neck with soft kisses and he smiled with pleasure as his wife bit his neck tenderly. He moaned as Grace ran her hands up his scared chest and wound them around his neck and pulled his head up to hers and kissed him ardently on the lips.

The next morning, Grace was in the kitchen preparing a meal and Loki was in the sitting room tending to Mike. She was wearing black jeans and his blue v neck t-shirt and the bruises from her husband biting her last night were plain to see. Patrice came in the room and saw the bruises on her daughter's neck and collar bone. Worried, she looked at Grace and whispered urgently, "What did Loki do to you last night?"

At first, Grace was confused until she remembered what her mother must be talking about. She smiled and whispered back, "If you think this is bad, you should see him." There was a hint of lightheartedness in her voice as she replied to her mother.

Patrice raised her eyebrows and whispered, "You hit him back?"

"No." Grace responded as she furrowed her eyebrows and turned to face her mother. She then turned back to the stove and added, "We were making love to each other last night and it got a bit rough."

"Oh, so those are bite marks?" Patrice asked quietly.

"Precisely." Grace replied.

At that moment, Loki walked into the room and said with a bright smile on his face, "Good morning, Patrice."

Patrice looked over at him to answer but the words caught in her thought when she saw his neck. Grace had four bite marks on her neck, but Loki had at least eight all the way up and down his neck! Without even thinking, she whispered, "Wow."

Loki stopped in his tracks and looked at her and asked, "Is everything alright?" He had grabbed a glass of water out of the cupboard and filled it at the sink. He was sipping the water casually as he waited for his mother-in-law to respond to him.

Loki was leaning against the counter as Patrice looked from him to her daughter then back again. His bruises were darker in color then hers and they were considerably smaller. She must have just nibbled on his neck whereas he took big bites. No wonder he had more bruises than she did. But that did not explain why his were darker then hers.

Loki was growing concerned by how long his mother-in-law remained silent. He stood up straight and walked up to her and asked as he searched her hazel eyes for an explanation, "What is wrong?"

Patrice was snapped out of her trance and replied, "Nothing is wrong. I am just amazed that you love each other enough to mark each other that many times."

Loki smiled brightly and responded as he pointed to his neck, "This is nothing. You should see my back."

"Why? What happened to your back?" Patrice asked urgently.

Loki immediately realized that he should not have said that. "I believe it is covered in scratches." He admitted with an embarrassed smile on his face.

"Ah... Grace told me that you two got a bit rough last night." Patrice said as she looked away for a brief moment. She then pulled something out of her purse and handed it to Loki.

"What is this?" He asked as he took it from his mother-in-laws hand.

"It is makeup. If you two are planning on going out today, you may want to cover up the bruises. Otherwise people may think you two have leprosy." Patrice responded then turned back to the sitting room.

"Thank you." Loki smiled. Then he asked, "How do I put it on?"

Patrice turned back to him and said, "Grace can help."

Later, Grace and Loki were walking hand in hand through the market and he carried a basket of food in the other hand. They both had covered up the bite marks on their necks as best they could with the makeup that Patrice had given them. Grace had a small list of food to purchase and they were finding most them fairly easily. The only thing that they had trouble finding was the potatoes. They search and searched as they weaved in and out of the isles. The entire time, Loki never once let go of her hand.

Grace intertwined her fingers with his after they had been searching for what seemed like hours. As they continued their search, she grew tired and rested her head on Loki's shoulder. He looked down at her and smiled as he continued to walk with her hand in his. "We are almost done, darling. We just have to locate where they keep the potatoes." He whispered in her ear sweetly.

Grace smiled and looked up at him. "It is alright, Loki. I am enjoying walking with you." Loki looked down into her eyes and noticed that she was drowsy. He kissed her on the top of her head and continued walking. But he slowed his pace down slightly.

Once they found the potatoes, Grace grabbed two bags and put them in the basket that Loki held in his grasp. They then went to the check out and paid for their purchases. As they were walking home, she held her husband's hand tightly as they made their way through the street. Everyone that passed them saw the look of love on their faces and felt the warmth in their heart.

Once they reached their home, Loki held the door open for his pregnant wife and watched as she waddled past him into the house with a pleasant smile on his face. As he watched her put the groceries away, he began to think of what may have happened had he not met her. A sorrowful expression grew on his face as he realized that he would have been long dead if she had not intervened. He looked down at the ground as he recalled the feeling of love that washed over him when Grace had first taken his hand. Why did he ever try to fight her?

Loki then walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the side of her neck sweetly. Grace smiled and put her hand on the side of his face as he rested his head on her shoulder once again. After they stood in this manner for a few minutes, Loki whispered, "You can go into the sitting room and rest while I finish putting everything away."

Grace turned around and looked into his affectionate bright green eyes and smiled as she wrapped her arms around his neck tenderly. She then stood on her tip toes and kissed him gently on the lips for a few moments. Once their lips parted, she whispered back, "Thank you."

Before Grace could turn to leave, Loki placed his hand on the back of her head and drew her into a fervent adoring kiss that lasted ten minutes. Once their lips parted, she put her hand over his heart and smiled up at him as she asked, "What was that for?"

Loki gazed into her eyes and whispered romantically, "It has been to long since I kissed you. I know we kissed a few moments before that but," he paused and took a deep breath, "frankly, it does not count. It did not last long enough."

Grace giggled and put her arms around his neck again and asked, "Then how long does it have to last to be considered a real kiss?"

Loki smiled and pulled her close and whispered, "Five minutes, ten minutes, a half hour, an hour, two hours, three hours, four hours, all day and night." As he was speaking, he kept kissing the side of her neck slowly. Grace smiled and leaned her head back and sighed. Forgetting about their guest and his mother-in-law who was in the next room, Loki gently bit her neck yet again.

At that moment, the front door opened and Jane came into the house and walked directly into the kitchen and placed some groceries down on the counter. "I see you already went shopping." She then saw that Grace and Loki were enfolded in each other's arms and that Loki was in the process of leaving a fresh mark on his wife's neck. "Oh... I am sorry. I did not realize that you two were in the middle of something."

Both Loki and Grace looked up at her at the same time. She smiled and said, "It is alright, Jane. That was just a spur of the moment kind of thing." As she spoke to her friend, she remained in her husband's arms and rubbed his chest slowly with her hands.

As Grace and Jane spoke, Mike stood up from his cot and walked into the kitchen. When he entered, he saw Loki with Grace enfolded in his arms as she was leaning against the kitchen counter while she spoke to Jane. A smile grew on his face when he noticed how tightly they were holding each other. He walked into the kitchen and said to them, "Well, I feel much better. Thank you for taking me in to your home. I will be leaving now."

Upon hearing this, Loki and Grace released each other and turned to Mike. They both gave him a tight hug in turn and Grace said, "If you ever need anything, you can always come back."

Mike smiled brightly and responded, "Thank you, Grace. I am extremely grateful for both of you." As he was speaking, he was looking from Grace to Loki with a warm smile painted on his face. He then pulled them into a group hug and added with tears in his eyes, "I am going to miss you two so much."

"You do not have to leave if you do not wish to, Mike." Loki responded.

After they parted, Mike shook his head and smiled as he replied, "I have already taken up a bed that someone else may need long enough. You two are a blessing to those who have lost hope."

Loki responded, "Grace is more of a blessing then I am. When she found me, I was no more than a broken relic who took his anger out on everyone."

Grace jumped in then and added, "And now you are the man I love." Loki looked down at her and saw her smiling up at him. He put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. Mike watched him with his wife and smiled. It was truly inspiring to see that someone as broken as he was could love as deeply as he did.

After Mike left the house and all the groceries where put away, Jane and Patrice where in the sitting room helping Beth with her homework while Loki and Grace were reading a book together. He was seated on one of the cots on the opposite side of the room with his legs resting on it as he was leaning back against the wall while his wife sat between his legs and leaned against his chest as he read to her softly. He had his arms wrapped around her while he held the book in front of her. As she rested against his chest, she felt his heart beating wildly as she listened to his soft voice read the words in the book that he held in front of her.

After Loki had read no more than twenty pages, Grace looked up at him and stroked the side of his face tenderly with the back of her fingers. In response, Loki closed the book and set it down on the side of the cot. Then he whispered to her, "Turn around."

Grace complied with what he told her and as soon as she was facing him, Loki place one of his hands on her lower back and the other on the back of her head as he led her into a adoring gentle kiss. She placed her hands on his chest and sustained the ardent kiss. Their lips moved in sync in a tender romantic kiss as their eyes remained closed lightly. Grace felt as her husband moved his hand up her back and rested it behind her neck. In response to this, she began to lift his shirt over his head and Loki sat up and lifted his arms over his head so she could take it off.

Once his shirt was dropped onto the floor, Loki leaned back against the wall and held Grace close to him as she kissed him lovingly on the lips. As she leaned on his chest, she began to try to remove his pants as well so she could make love to him but he put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her away slightly and looked into her confused blue eyes and whispered, "Not now, Grace. Not now."

Grace looked into his loving green eyes and smiled. "I understand, Loki."

Loki smiled softly and responded as he stoked the side of her face with the tips of his fingers, "Thank you." Grace smiled back at him and rested her head on his bare chest. After a few moments, he lifted her head and kissed her tenderly on the lips. She kissed him back and ran her hands up his chest and placed them behind his head and she took a deep breath and kissed him even deeper than before. Loki smiled and pulled his wife closer to him as he kissed her back and added more passion to it.

They were both moaning with passion, so Patrice looked over at them and gasped when she saw some of the scars on her son-in-laws chest. They were huge! As she watched them sharing their love with each other, tears started to form in her eyes when she remembered how he got them. They looked like it must have been extraordinarily painful. She wondered if they were sensitive to the touch for a moment, but then she realized that Grace was lying on his chest. If they were sensitive, her daughter would not be leaning on him at all. Even if he told her that it was not that painful, she would still refrain from it.

After a half hour, Grace and Loki stopped kissing each other and just enjoyed the company of their other half. Her head was resting on his chest and she listened to him breath. Her hands rested at his sides and they elicited an intense feeling of love in her husband. His hands where on his pregnant wife's lower back as he pulled her closer to him. Patrice watched as her daughter rested in her husband's embrace and a tear formed in her right eye as a smile spread across her face. She was overjoyed that Grace had found happiness.

An hour later, Grace sat up and leaned forward and kissed her husband once again on the lips. This time, however, there was an added amount of passion and desire to it that Loki had never experienced. In response to this, he wrapped his arms around her and sat up as he took a deep breath in an attempt to breathe her in. Grace was seated on his lap once again as her legs were wrapped around his waist and she smiled and kissed him harder.

Loki smiled and pulled his pregnant wife closer to him as he began to kiss her neck. A content sigh escaped her lips as she felt him caressing her neck with tender kisses. Upon hearing this, he leaned forward and laid his wife down on the cot. Her legs were still wrapped around his waist as he lay gently on top of his wife and kissed her collar bone. Grace smiled and enfolded her arms around his neck and said, "Hey, Loki. Guess what?"

Without even looking up, Loki responded as he stroked her throat with his soft lips, "What?"

"I love you." Grace responded as she looked into his eyes as he looked up at her and smiled brightly.

"I love you more, my queen." He replied in a tender whisper as he kissed her on the lips deeper than ever before.

Twenty minutes later, Loki and Grace got up from the cot and he looked around in bewilderment. She saw the confusion on his face and asked, "What is wrong, Loki?"

Loki looked up at her and asked, "Where is my shirt?"

Grace smiled and took a graceful step towards him and placed her hand on his bare white chest. Her fingers danced over his scars for a few minutes and Loki watched her with growing admiration. The mere thought that an angel would love a monster and turn him into a man baffled him. His mother had read the Midgardian tale of 'Beauty and the Beast' to him while he was young and he never understood it. Even now, he struggles to comprehend the mystery that had eluded him in his youth.

After around eight minutes, Loki whispered, "Grace."

Snapped out of her trance by the sound of his voice, she looked up at him and smiled. He felt as her arms wound around his waist and she rested her chin on his upper chest as she looked up into his soft green eyes. Loki lost his train of thought for a few minutes as he gazed into her loving blue eyes. About two minutes later, Loki came back to reality and asked, "Grace, where is my shirt?"

Grace smiled once again and whispered back to him, "I hid it."

Loki threw his head back and thunderous joyous laughter filled the house for two minutes. Once his laughter was under control, he looked down at Grace and said with ecstasy in his voice, "And you call me a bad liar."

Grace giggled and held him closer and rested her head on his chest as Loki kissed the top of her head. After a few minutes, she said softly as she released him and walked back to the cot, "Have you looked under the cot? It may have slid underneath."

"I have not." Loki answered as he turned to follow her.

Grace was on her knees beside the cot and picked up his shirt right away. She looked up at him and smiled at him and said, "I found it."

"Already?" Loki exclaimed in astonishment. He got down on his knees in front of her and asked, "May I have it back, please?"

Grace smiled and responded by asking playfully, "What are you going to give me?"

Loki smiled and thought for a moment. "How about a kiss."

Grace thought about it for a moment and as Loki watched her, he was in awe at how the evening light hit her face and it seemed to set her blue eyes aflame and her pale skin aglow. When she looked back at her husband she did not even have time to reply. He rushed forward and kissed her on the lips violently and placed his Jotun hands on her back as they pulled her closer to him.

Grace was shocked at first and raised her eyebrows in astonishment. But after a few moments, she kissed him back and placed her hands behind his head and ran her hands through his hair. His cold hard body was pressing up against her warm soft form and they formed the perfect contrast as they knelt on the floor lost in their shared affection for each other with a slow devoted kiss. Their lips moved in sync for a few minutes when Loki pulled away and began to kiss her neck as his Jotun hand was behind her neck.

Grace leaned her head back and a content sigh escaped her lips as her husband began to stroke her throat with soft kisses from his frozen blue lips. Loki heard this and kisses her more passionately then before and ran his other hand up the front of her shirt and brought it to a halt on her growing womb. The moment his frigid hand was on her womb, she pulled away and sat on his lap as she looked into his loving red eyes and whispered alluringly, "Can we go back to our room now?"

Loki smiled at his wife and picked her up in his arms with one arm under her legs and the other around her back as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He phased out of his Jotun form as stood and turned to the others in the sitting room and bid them a good night. He then carried Grace into their room where they made mad passionate love to each other for four hours before they both drifted off to sleep from an exhausting day.


End file.
